


When words fail let the heart sing

by Rykeral



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-19
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-07-15 19:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 128,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7235578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rykeral/pseuds/Rykeral
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Season Five:  As Regina searches desperately for an answer to the whereabouts of the Saviour turned Dark One, and a cure to her curse, someone is serenading her through the Storybrooke radio station. And she learns that sometimes we can't find the words to express how we feel, and what we do find are words wound into lyrics and bound by music. And sometimes, we even find love. AU. SQ End-Game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by the talented and dedicated Swenation and their multitude of works which have made me smile, laugh, cry, scream, and grin at my screen. While there will be mentions of both Hook and Hood this is a SQ story. I hope you enjoy this journey and find pleasure in this as I have in others. All mistakes are my own and as a British English speaker you may find some words off or wrong to your own learning. Also, if you aren't familiar with any of the song's used in this fic, do check them out! Enjoy!

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

(Three weeks earlier)

“ _Look man, I know how you feel. Unrequited love is tough but you just gotta let it go._ ” In the diner listening to Storybrooke’s only radio station Ruby stifled a giggle. Let it go, ha! The film had been released and much of the town’s younger girls would walk around singing it. Frozen Fervour had come to Storybrooke. Even with the memory of Elsa and the baggage she had brought with her to their fairy-tale town, the young girls were enamoured with the Ice Queen and her story of love, friendship, and family.

“ **Yeah. All right. Thanks dude.** ” There was a click as the caller hung up and the radio host, Jeremy Sanders, continued.

“ _No problem. You have a good night. Now, in light of our friends heartache, were gonna take a break and then you can call in and tell us all about your problems with love_.”

The opening notes to a song began to play and Ruby grinned at the radio as she leaned over a table to wipe some crumbs.

“ _Katy Perry’s Dark Horse._ ” He rattled off the station number and then let the song play.

Ruby turned it up as loud as she could without the speakers straining, and bopped along to the beat as she continued to clean the diner. It was almost ten o’clock and the solitary lights of the diner shone out onto the empty and ominous streets. Granny had already retired to bed and as usual left her granddaughter with cleaning up the place. Ruby didn’t mind. On weekdays the kitchen stopped making food to order at half eight-nine on weekends-so the restaurant had been empty by quarter to ten. She had already cleared away the other tables and so only had the booth to go before sweeping the floor and then setting the morning tables.

“Have a good night, Ruby,” called one of their kitchen staff as he sauntered across the floor with his hands in his jeans. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he took the back passage to the rear of the diner and a few minutes later the roaring of a motorcycle could be heard before it faded into the darkness leaving Ruby with the final notes of Dark Horse for company.

“ _All right! Some Katy Perry to see us through to ten! Now, we have some callers lined up, and listeners, remember that between ten and six this show is not child friendly!_ ” There was a shuffling and then a muted screeching sound, Ruby thought it could be Jeremy shifting around in his seat.

“ _All right, caller one! You’re up_!”

Ruby continued to clean the booth and the wipe the floor down as a few callers discussed their failings with love and sex. Two of them were sad, falling out of love or cheatings, and one was just down right dirty and she had to quickly turn the radio down in case Granny heard what the caller was saying. Jeremy had to quickly cut the caller off and then apologised to the audience. “ _Wow, um. Sorry about that guys, but Caller, we don’t need to hear about that!_ ”

She moved on to set up the tables and was putting her finishing touches on it when, _“All right. Caller, you’re on. Shoot!_ ”

There was silence across the line for a moment. “ _Caller nine, you’re on air!_ ”

Static came down the line but there was faint sounds of someone breathing. It was like a muted version of Darth Vader’s strangled breathing.

“ _Caller? Look dude, if you’re not gonna say anything….”_

He was interrupted by a few beats and then a light tapping to- was it a drum?- and then a voice began to sing.

Ruby paused and cocked her head to the radio and mentally pleaded that Jeremy allow the caller to continue. They didn’t have a recognisable voice- in fact it sounded like they had disguised their voice using one of those voice disguiser things… she mentally winced and shook her head at her idiocy- but it was the raw emotion the caller was pouring through the airwaves that caught her attention. Jeremy’s voice came across the song and he said he would allow them to continue the song before he was silent.

When the song finished there was a moments silence before a click and then static. _“Well…._ ” Jeremy seemed utterly bemused. “ _That was, ah._ ” He cleared his throat and collected the tatters of his composure. “ _That was I called to say I love you, not by Stevie Wonder, obviously, but by an unknown caller. Caller, call back and talk to me. Tell us why this song, and why you decided to sing it because, no offense, but I have a girlfriend_.” Jeremy cued another song and then another and the caller obviously hadn’t rung back by the time Ruby called it a night and went to bed.

Over the next few weeks at ten every night the mysterious caller sung a song on air and then hung up. They ranged from Queen, the Beatles, ABBA, Westlife, Passenger, Jason Maraz, Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Adele; all love songs. The most recent one was a Taylor Swift one and Jeremy was quick to cut across the ending of the song. His previous attempts at getting the caller to talk or to reveal themselves had failed spectacularly, as the caller remained silent or hung up. When Jeremy had cut the caller off in the middle of their song to demand at least a name, or something to call him or her, the next day his car had been burnt to a crisp with a small radio and CD player playing the very song that had been cut off on repeat. He didn’t dare cut the caller off again.

After that incident Storybrooke Mirror had caught the story, as the Sheriff’s Department hadn’t been able to find any clues as to the identity of the arsonist, not that David was feeling overly up to it with his Dark One daughter still missing. He had hired Ruby as a part time Deputy and had some guy called Tod as an officer (he was apparently a fox in his early life), while he and his family continued searching and summoning the Dark One, a month into Emma’s sacrifice and disappearance. After the article the caller, nicknamed the Serenader- for that was what he or she was doing, singing their love letter to the entire town- had drawn an almost cult following within the listeners, and audience numbers had risen accordingly. Of course a few people had tried to play themselves off as the Serenader, but when bad things happened to them; a dog went missing and wasn’t returned until the imposter admitted it; a favourite picture was shattered; items went missing; someone had their car covered in animal crap; and one man who was terrified of spiders had a large tarantula delivered to him via courier. Naturally imposters stopped immediately. These events only added to the mystery shrouding the caller and made the listeners, and readers in the morning paper, eager for more.

“ _Wait! Look, Romeo- can I call you Romeo?_ ” Jeremy asked hurriedly and the eager listeners waited with baited breath for something to happen.

 **“A rose by any other** ,” replied the caller carefully, as though they were thinking out the words and forming them precisely before they spoke. They sounded amused- though it could have been because of the song they had just sung. Taylor Swift’s Love Story was…. Sweet…- and Jeremy had to quickly continue as listeners leant towards their radios eagerly.

“ _Okay, Romeo. So you’ve been calling in for three weeks now, on the hour, and me and my listeners are wondering who it is you are in love with. So, can you tell us that?”_

There was a moments silence punctuated by breathing and then, “ **My listeners and I.** ”

“ _Huh_?” And then there was a click at the end of the line. Jeremy could be heard inhaling. “ _Well, we have a name. Look, Romeo, everyone has felt what you are feeling, loved someone from affair, afraid to tell them, afraid of their reactions. You are not alone in this. Let it out, man, or it will eat you up inside. All right, we’ve got some texts coming in_.”

There was a moment as he clicked away. “ _I think this guys a loser, I mean, who rings up and sings lame ass songs on air without giving their name or who they’re for_?” Jeremy waited a moment. “ _Well, you are entitled to think that, but everyone has their own struggles and we don’t know Romeo’s situation. Another text: I think it’s sweet. He seems so shy and I wish he would talk about it so we could give him some advice. All right. Caller, you’re on air_.”

“ **He seems like a sweet-heart** ”, came a feminine voice through the airwaves. “ **Obviously he isn’t brave enough to tell her how he feels and I don’t know about you, but I’d love it if my husband did something like this for** **me**.”

Jeremy took the reins again. “ _Keep in mind folks that we don’t actually know if Romeo is a guy, and we don’t know anything about the person he’s in love with. Now, after some Taylor Swift let’s have some Coldplay!_ ”

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“Regina Mills,” Regina barked into her cell phone as she thumbed through a book of her mothers, her phone pressed against her ear and shoulder.

“Hey Regina.” It was David. He sounded exhausted.

“No, I haven’t found anything,” Regina snapped already anticipating the question and again having the same answer.

“That’s not why I’m calling,” David replied and Regina sighed.

“Sorry. What can I help you with?”

“When was the last time you ate?” Regina was silent but her stomach choose this moment to loudly announce itself. “When was the last time you slept? Or left the vault?”

“I’m trying to find a way to save your da-ughter,” Regina snarled back but it lost its bite as she yawned.

“We all are, Regina. But if you kill yourself in the process it will make Emma’s sacrifice in vain.” Regina clenched her fists so tightly her skins strained and turned pale.

“Henry’s worried about you,” that stopped her response and she allowed her eyes to close.

“Look, come have tea with us. Go home, have a shower, and sleep.” David was quiet for a while, knowing that Henry was Regina’s Kryptonite and mentioning him would return reason to the Mayor. And she was probably as tired as he was, if not more so. “It’s been two months.”

Regina closed her eyes. Two months. Had it really been that long? Had she spent over two months bending over a book with a pen and pad as she relentlessly searched for an answer? Two months. Eight Weeks. Fifty-six days. One thousand, three hundred and forty-four hours. Eighty thousand- realising David required an answer her tired brain gave in; gave the Sheriff what he so desperately wanted.

“All right. Yours?”

“Granny’s,” David replied quickly. “Six o’clock.”

“What time is it now?”

“Twenty to five.”

“All right.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up and Regina was left in silence staring at the upturned books strewn around every available space in her vault. Groaning she stretched out her back, feeling her muscles and body protest at the movement after being stationary for so long. Tiredly rubbing her eyes she forced herself to her feet, groaning as she struggled to straighten after leaning over books for so long. Feeling her age she gathered her belongings-including the dagger with _Emma Swan_ etched into it- and slipped into her heels, wincing at the discomfort before slowly moving through her vault and climbing the stairs.

The fresh air caught her hair and played with it as she emerged into the open and she shied away from the light and the sunshine, mentally grumbling about how dare it be a lovely day. Through habit she closed her vault, walked to her car slightly more lively than she had been before, and dug around in her hand bag for her keys. She was uncharacteristically clumsy with them and dropped them. She stood staring down at them for a moment and fought the urge to just burst into tears. Taking a fortifying breath she swooped down to grab them and proceeded to unlock her car before she felt the hairs at the back of her neck prickle. Spinning around she summoned a fireball and watched as a figure in black standing by a headstone evaporated in grey smoke.

“Emma!” Her voice cracked as she called out and she took a few quick steps in her direction before she realised that it was pointless. Slumping she got into her car, vowing not to tell Henry she had seen his mother as his next questions would be ones she would be unable to answer. Her mood only soured as she drove the familiar roads to home, in complete contrast with the lovely afternoon and evening that graced Storybrooke’s skies. She may have shut her door with extra vigour as she stalked up the drive and into the silent and imposing mansion. On auto-pilot she moved to her room and got ready for her shower thinking of the events that had led her to this moment.

With the help of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice the Darkness in Rumpelstiltskin had been banished from his body and had fled out into the night, desperately seeking a new host. Of course it had come for her, she thought bitterly as she massaged shampoo into her hair. Stepping into her title as Saviour Emma Swan had struck the swirling and writhing mass of Darkness with the blank dagger and had been consumed. As the Darkness surrounding Emma drew to a pinnacle she vanished in a crack of black smoke and the dagger clattered to the ground, Emma Swan along the metal blade.

Killian had immediately pounced on the dagger while the rest of them tried to comprehend what had just happened. “Dark One. I summon thee!” Regina slowly pulled away from Robin’s embrace still slightly shell shocked and feeling the essence of the Darkness calling to her own and trying to ignite it.

“Dark One!” Hook barked again, holding the dagger up to the street light. The old calligraphy gleamed maliciously as it caught the dull lights of the barren street. Tears were streaming down Snow’s features and David’s jaw was tense and his eyes bright as the two clung to each other.

“Swan!” Killian’s voice cracked as his pleading echoed solitarily in the night.

“Give it up, Pirate!” Regina snapped and drew her arms about her. “She’s not coming!”

Hook turned furious eyes on her and his jaw tightened as he looked away and again asked for the Dark One to appear.

Regina ran a hand distractedly through her hair and sighed. “Let’s just… lets go home and regroup tomorrow.”

“We can’t leave her! We don’t even know where she is! She just sacrificed herself for you, Your Majesty,” Hook snarled, his handsome features contorted ferally.

“Enough,” Regina snapped back and shook off Robin’s hand, feeling unworthy of a comforting touch. “She is not coming tonight.” She shook her head and then closed her eyes as realisation set in. “I need to get home to my son and I have to tell him his mother is the Dark One.’

“But she-“

“I said enough!” It was the Evil Queen speaking now, and a shadow of her lingered in Regina’s eyes. “You are welcome to continue calling until your voice goes hoarse, but I’m going home to my son.”

She turned fierce eyes on a still silent Charming and Snow and her eyes softened. “I’m sorry,” she said earnestly. “I’ll do whatever I can to bring her home, I promise.”

Snow was crying silently in the harbour of David’s arms and she sniffed and nodded as Charming answered for them both. “I-” he glanced down to his wife and then looked back at Regina. “We know. What do we do now?”

Regina glanced around the empty street and wondered when or how the curse had instilled a habit in the townsfolk to retreat indoors after dark. “Go home to our sons,” she glanced at the couple before looking at Robin and then back to Snow and Charming. “We’ll meet tomorrow at Granny’s? Eight o’clock?”

Charming nodded and ran his hand soothingly up and down Snow’s arm. “We can tell the town then as well.”

“Okay,” Regina nodded sharply and then talked quickly to Robin as Snow turned in Charming’s arms and had a silent conversation with him with their eyes.

“Thank you for your help,” Regina said softly. Robin nodded gently and took her hands and looked in her eyes before pulling her smoothly into a hug. His arms were warm and strong around her and she allowed it for a moment, allowed herself to feel sheltered and safe, before reluctantly pulling away.

“I’ve got to go to Henry.”

Robin released her and took a step back. He took one of her hands and lifted it to his lips with a soft smile. “Let me know if you need me.”

A warmth spread through her, like a hot drink, heating her from the inside and burning away the lingering essence of the Darkness, her own settling into dormancy. She rose on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, ignoring his beard and took a moment to bask in his warmth before turning away and looking back to the other royals. Robin’s hand caressed her jaw for a moment before he walked off into the night and was soon swallowed by shadows.

“The Dagger,” Snow said straightening with a rigid edge to her jaw, slipping into her role as Princess and Queen. “We have to protect it.”

Killian, whom had been glaring mutinously at the blade and then to Regina and back again spoke up.

“I’ve got it. She said she loved me. I’ll keep it safe.” His grip tightened on the dagger and he tensed and eyed Snow, Charming, and Regina suspiciously as though they would steal it from him.

Regina’s frowned over at him and a stray thought entered her mind before she shewed it away. The pirate would be solely responsible for her frown lines, she wasn’t ready for those damn it!

“She’s our daughter!” Snow exclaimed and took a half step towards Hook. He shifted in response.

“She said she loves me!”

“And so she might. But you don’t know her, not really, and you can’t protect the Dagger, there is only one of you. And you only have one hand,” David said reasonably, lifting an arm from around Snow to gesture to the captain.

“And you do? You put her in a bloody wardrobe when she was barely an hour old!”

Regina watched as Snow flinched at the retort but stayed silent as the three began to argue over who was more qualified. Baby Neal was brought into the conversation, as was Hook’s physical disability, his numerous enemies, Charming and Snow’s jobs, the Jolly Roger, the Loft, and numerous other liabilities that turned from a suitable candidate to protect the Dagger to who knew and loved Emma the best.

Regina felt a headache coming on and sighed. “Are you all done? What matters now is that we protect the Dagger from anyone who might want to use it to hurt or control Emma. Arguing isn’t going to solve anything.”

“You should take it,” Snow said suddenly, looking beseechingly at her step-mother.

Regina blinked.

David drew back slightly as Killian began to swell in rage. “Actually, that’s a good idea. You can hide and protect the dagger with magic.”

“No!” Hook burst out. “She said she loves me,” he said almost desperately. “I can keep it safe. I love her.” He nodded in quick succession as though to convince himself and the others that he was right.

“Regina gets the Dagger,” Charming’s eyes locked on to Regina’s across their small distance. “If that is acceptable to you?”

Regina took a deep breath and inclined her head. “If you think that’s best.”

“We do,” Snow said and took a few steps towards Regina. “You are the only one strong enough to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.”

“Don’t I get a say?” Hook asked distressed, and had the Dagger curled close to his belly as though to shield it from harm.

Snow was remarkably gentle as she asked if Hook could defend himself and the Dagger from magic, even going as far as turning her head to Regina to ask her to take it, to prove a point.

With a clenched jaw Killian accented to the exchange, though his grip tightened on the hilt when Regina glided forward to take it. “I’ll be taking this back very soon,” he vowed staring directly into her eyes with grim promise. Regina merely tilted her head to the side and waited for him to release his hold on it. With great reluctance the pirate pulled his hand away, and he watched with predator like intensity as she examined the name and then lowered it to her side, slender fingers firm around the hilt.

The next morning they met at Granny’s. Henry, Snow, Charming, Regina, and Hook. Henry was sombre and pale, with red-rimmed eyes. He couldn’t even muster a smile when Regina told him he could pick anything off the menu, and spent most of the breakfast picking at his pancakes and bacon. Telling Henry his mother had sacrificed herself to the Darkness, became the Dark One, to protect her had been one of the hardest things Regina had ever done. She had shown him the Dagger and had held him as he collapsed into her arms, tears bursting forth and a strangled cry falling from his lips.

For the first time in years, since he was a child, Regina spent the night in a too small bed holding her son and guarding his dreams as she stared unseeing at the name on the blade.

The town was informed of what had happened to their Saviour and had been understandably aghast at the news. The group decided to try summoning Emma once more that afternoon, and after its lack of success had decided that Regina, as the suitable candidate for protecting the Dagger, would guard it as she looked into where Emma was, what had happened to her, and, more importantly, how to save her.

For the past three weeks Regina had turned her attention from her Mayoral duties to research, even requesting help from Belle and the Fairies with no luck. Multiple times Henry, Snow, Charming, and Hook had tried to summon their absentee Dark One and each time Henry’s shoulders had slumped a little further; the light in his eyes fading with each unanswered plea.

Now, two months later, the town was being run by Regina’s assistant, with important decisions made via telephone to Regina, and Regina had almost run through her entire collection of books, and her mothers, and the ones lent to her by Belle. The librarian had pulled herself away from Rumple (or rather had taken to reading at his bedside) to help, and had found nothing, the remaining books were ones only a magical user could read.

The hot water revived her slightly and she followed her routine as she dried herself, got dressed, and put her make-up on. If her clothes were several sizes too big, and her make-up had to be artfully applied to hide the bags beneath her eyes and how gaunt her face had become, then she dutifully ignored it. Her health was not important. Finding and helping Emma was. Only Henry came first.

After the first few days of Emma missing Regina had insisted that Henry return to school, and he had, with much protesting and tears. She felt guilty for sending him away, but she didn’t want him to hear her scream and curse anything and everything as time and time again she failed to find an answer. He knew though, every time he came to her vault and sat with her after school as they both looked over hundreds of books, and thousands of pages in a dozen languages.

Snow and Charming had returned to their jobs as well, though their spare time was occupied by Neal, Regina, Henry, and doing anything they could to help. Henry had started to spend some afternoons with them, leaving his mother to her silent despair as the pile of books dwindled and her failure increased.

The house was silent, ominous, and even the echoes of Henry’s laughter seemed oppressed with their grief. Though they were certain Emma were still alive- Regina’s research had determined that very few things could slay a Dark One, and Hook had agreed when they dragged him away from his rum and vessel- her absence left a hole; jagged and weeping.

Her heart gave a faint pang as she heard shadows of Robin and Roland. And she shook herself from her musings. Robin and Roland were no longer permanent fixtures in her life and home. It had taken a month. To his credit Robin had tried; had tried very hard to keep their relationship afloat, but a relationship takes two, and with Regina’s attention focused on finding Emma, it had slowly fallen apart.

In the early days and weeks of Emma’s absence Regina had virtually locked herself in her vault, reading until it felt like her eyes would bleed words as she searched for an answer. She only returned to herself for Henry, ensuring he was taken care of by either the Charming’s or by Granny and Ruby. He hadn’t minded and had been eager to let her work into the night when sleep finally claimed him and she continued her search lit by a candle.

As the weeks slipped by Robin grew disheartened, alone but for Roland in a house far too large and silent, and he yearned for the woods. Regina cared for him, but he was here. He and Roland were safe. Her family needed her more than she needed a relationship. Emma needed her more. And when Robin had given her an ultimatum begot by frustration and jealousy she had barely blinked before she had returned to her research. Robin had clutched at the tatters of their relationship; held them desperately until they slipped through his fist, but he had to walk away. Her relationship was over. She had blinked back her blurry vision until it was sharp and had turned the page.

She collected her purse and keys and took a moment to check her battle armour in the mirror by the door. Taking a deep breath she settled a neutral look over her expression and made sure her clothes and make-up were immaculate before leaving the house.

To taunt her the evening was lit in oranges, reds, and purples, a shadow on puffy clouds. As she wound down from Storybrooke Heights she saw the sea surface cast in polished bronze and took a moment to admire the sight. It was humbling; how life just carried on and beauty could still be found in small things when her own life was shattered and wrought in shadow.

Shaking herself of such thoughts, for she would see her son, she completed her journey to the Diner, easily gliding the Benz into a parallel parking space a few cars down from the entrance.

She exited and after locking her car placed her keys in her handbag and let it rest on her shoulder. Her heels clicked imposingly on the concrete as she strode towards the restaurant and opened the door. The bell heralded her arrival and she paused a moment to scan the diners for her family. Henry waved happily at her from a booth and she didn’t fight her smile at seeing him as she stride across the floor to them. Henry scooted across with a “Hey, Mum!” and she settled into the booth next to him. She lifted her arm and gave him an awkward hug and he snuggled into her embrace for a moment before pulling away slightly embarrassed. Snow and Charming were opposite them and greeted her with tired smiles. David had an open edition of the Storybrooke Mirror in front of him and baby Neal cooed in Snow’s arms.

“Regina,” David nodded with a gentle smile. “How are you?”

Regina, sensing the question was genuine, bit back her retort and rolled her lips. “I haven’t found anything yet,” she said softly, glancing over to her son. “But I will,” she added strongly.

“If there is one, we know you’ll find it, Regina,” Snow said turning away from Neal and placing him in his carrier with a pacifier between his lips. She reached across the table to touch her step mothers arm. “But how are you really?”

Regina met Snow’s caring gaze for a moment and then inclined her head slightly. “Tired,” she said with a rueful smile.

“We know you are trying to find Emma, but take care of yourself too,” Snow reprimanded gently and Regina shifted back slightly with an arched brow. “We’ve been worried about you.” The pixie-haired brunette flicked her eyes to Regina’s right where her teenage son was sitting, toying with the salt and pepper.

“I will. I’m fine,” she said without bite. “But, she added to halt their protests and stall any further commentary. “I am intending on an early bedtime and maybe breakfast?” The question was directed at her son and his grin warmed her heart before she felt a stab of guilt. She felt like she had been neglecting him and felt a wave of shame wash over her.

“That’ll be cool! Maybe Grandma and Grandpa can come?” He asked, looking to his grandparents before up at his mother. It was a smaller distance than it had ever been and she felt a pang. Her baby was growing up, soon he would be a man.

“That’s fine with me,” she answered smiling at her son and then looking questioningly over to Snow and David.

They both nodded. “We could meet here? It will save time and will allow us to get to work on time.”

Regina nodded her agreement of the plan. “How is work? I haven’t gotten out lately.”

David rested his arms on the paper and leant forward. “Good, I guess. Hired a new officer, Tod Walters, heard of him?” Regina shook her head.

“He’s doing good. People seem to like him. Ruby has been helping out as well.”

“My ears are burning,” Ruby bounced up to the table and smiled at everyone. Henry looked at her and then hurriedly looked away, a flush falling over his cheeks.

“All good things, Miss Lucas,” Regina inclined her head in greeting and Ruby beamed.

“Haven’t seen you for a while, nobody has.”

“Regina has been looking for a way to help Emma,” Snow interjected.

The smile slid slightly on the were-wolf’s face. “Any luck? She asked hopefully. Regina shook her head slightly and the girl sighed. She shook herself and whipped out her pen and order pad. “What can I get for you?”

“Henry?” Regina had noticed how Henry had blushed upon seeing the pretty waitress but chose not to comment on it.

“I’ll have a burger and fries, and” he peeked over to his mother, “a coke.” She met his gaze squarely and lifted a brow in amusement.

“Salad and water or juice,” she countered and Henry sighed.

“Fine,” he said as though the weight of the world were upon his young shoulders. “I’ll have an apple juice,” he said impishly, smirking at his mother. Regina’s lips curled but she remained silent. Snow rolled her eyes fondly.

The others placed their orders after Henry. Chicken for Snow, Steak for Charming, and a Caesar Salad for Regina.

“Be right out,” Ruby snapped her pad shut and stuck her pen in her pocket next to her name tag and bounded away to serve another table.

“The town’s been pretty quiet, apart from the usual squabbles.” Snow said and then ducked her head. “Well, as quiet as Storybrooke can be.”

David leant back in his chair, shifting slightly to stretch his legs under the table. “Only trouble has been the Serenader.”

Regina cocked her head to the side, interest piqued. “Who?”

Understanding dawned in David’s blue eyes and he nodded. “That’s right, you wouldn’t have read it.”

He flicked a few pages of the paper until he came upon an article near the end. “The Serenader. He’s been ringing the radio station every night at ten for the past month or so. He sings a song and then disconnects. Nobody knows who he is or who he is singing about.”

“We don’t even know if he is a he,” Snow added raising her brows at David as he shuffled the paper and passed it to Regina in a crunch of paper. Regina took the paper and scanned the print to find that article. It was small, a few inches long and wide next to an ad for the Storybrooke Sports and Hunting store.

 

 **Serenader a monster?** By _Harold Phillips_.

  
To those few who aren’t aware the lonely lover, who goes by Romeo, confessed to being a monster last night after his heart aching rendition of Evanescence’s My Immortal. For three weeks we, the listeners of Jeremy Sanders’ Jammin’ with Jeremy, have been graced with the unknown callers heartache and longing cast across the airwaves at ten every weeknight. He has spoken very little, and attempts by the public and the Storybrooke Police Department to capture or indeed, discern the callers identity, have fallen flat. Several incidences were reported early in the saga, with burnt cars, stolen pets, and other mischievous acts of aggression warning people to keep their distance.

Last night, however, the Serenader, nicknamed Romeo, confessed he was afraid of what his love interest would think of them, admitting on air to being a monster. “I’m a murderer…..a monster….” (Transcript of the segment below and to hear the soundbite go to the stations web page.) Romeo then hung up and various listeners commented on the confession. Host Jeremy was swift to console the Serenader, speaking of the town’s inhabitants and even referring to our infamous protectors and leaders; The (Evil) Queen, Prince Charming, Snow White, the AWOL (Dark One) Saviour. Adding, “The most family friendly restaurant in town is run by an old lady and her were-wolf granddaughter! No offense, Granny. Our people are a forgiving lot, and most of us have done something we wished we hadn’t.”

This reporter has little to add to Sanders’ comments though hopes the Serenader will take some advice. Romeo; half of our population used to be animal-folk or creatures thought of as monsters. Many of the people, even the self-proclaimed “Heroes” have taken lives. These acts do not define who they are, and nor should they define who you are. It is a choice. Like many of my readers and listeners I’ll be tuning in tonight to see what, if anything, the Serenader has to say for himself.

 

Regina lifted her brow as she lowered the paper, just in time for Ruby to return with their drink orders balance on a tray in her hand.

“I think it’s sweet,” she commented, having glanced at the article that had caught Regina’s attention. “I was listening the first night, not much to do at night here, and it was a bit of a surprise.” She handed Henry his juice and he flushed again and averted his eyes. “Been listening every night since. He doesn’t say much, nothing after the first night, until last night. Half the town’s interested,” she added as she handed Regina her root beer. “We want these two to get together, or for Romeo to at least tell us who it is he’s pining for. Sorry,” she amended at Snow’s frown with no small amount of sass. “He or she is pining for.”

“Well,” commented Regina as she took a sip of her drink. “I don’t have the time to consider such things, but I do wish them all the best.” She raised her glass slightly and with only minor sarcasm toasted. “To love.”

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“Night Mum,” Henry called as he passed the study on his way to his room. It was eight thirty and while it was too early for him to sleep, even on a school night, Regina had bought him the latest edition of his comic and he wanted to read in bed.

“’Goodnight, Henry,” Regina called from her desk where she was going over some neglected paperwork for the running of the town. It was a wonder the people hadn’t called for her resignation with how she had abandoned her post, but, she pondered to herself, there was no one as qualified as her, and willing to do the job. Henry hadn’t been home in a few weeks, nor had she to be truthful, and she took a moment to absorb the sound of him thumping up the stairs and closing doors with too much strength. The house no longer felt so lonely, it felt warm. It felt like home.

Taking a sip of water from the glass on her desk she thumbed through the next report, a Council request for extending the park and additions to the grounds; a jousting fence and a fencing ring. Naturally she vetted the idea, and turned to her laptop to compose the rejection email.

She yawned and tried to focus on the screen but her eyes were drawn to her purse which contained the Dagger. Hesitantly she shifted forward before shaking herself and then reaching for her bag with confidence. It seemed an obvious hiding place, but she almost always had a handbag, and strapping the blade to her thigh made her feel self-conscious, and Regina Mills didn’t do self-conscious, so she had kept it in her bag whenever she went out. She had placed a series of enchantments over the bag to ensure its protection, not that anyone would be stupid enough to try and pick pocket her.

She removed the Dagger, careful to ensure she didn’t cut herself, and made a mental note to arrange for a sheath to be made, maybe she could enchant that as well… In the light of her study the Dagger seemed out of place. It was old and cold compared to the neutral tones of her study and the fireplace which was on low. With her eyes she traced the letters and then gently ran her fingertip along the grooves. _Emma Swan_ etched along the blade was even more foreign and ever part of her resented the calligraphy.

The chiming of the grandfather clock in the corner of the study shook her from her stupor and glanced at it she realised she had been staring blankly into space for twenty minutes.

She sighed and leant away from her desk, summoning a decanter and a crystal glass from the case by the bookshelf.

“Poor me a glass.” The voice was chilling and precise, laced with amusement. Regina almost dropped her glass.

“Emma?!”Regina started, her voice loud in the otherwise silent room. They both glanced towards the ceiling in case her surprise had summoned their son. Regina was first to look over at the visitor on her couch and glared at the blonde. “Don’t do that!”

After not having seen the Sheriff for two months, and having witnessed her failed summoning’s, seeing her sitting on her couch as though nothing was wrong threw her. She summoned another glass with a trembling hand and poured the whisky shakily before offering it across the room to the Dark One. The full glass soured across the room into the Dark Ones slender, pale hand and she lifted it in thanks before bringing it to her lips. Regina’s tired mind was rousing to alertness, sluggishly, and though adrenaline was firing through her system, it wouldn’t last for very long. Her eyes flickered to the Dagger and back to her guest.

The Dark One was leaning back in the couch wither her arms resting on the leather back and couch arms. One of her legs rested over the other. It was a powerful display of body language, something one would expect of the alpha male in the room. She was wearing a black, scaled jacket with a tall and pompous collar that had Regina lifting her brow. Her tight black pants were tipped with heels that would rival the Evil Queen’s any day. Her flowing blonde locks were gone, replaced by a tight bun which looked chalky and course. She wasn’t smiling, but under Regina’s appraisal she tilted her chin slightly and lifted a brow. The imperious look didn’t suit the Saviour.

“How much did you pay Mick Jagger for the jacket?” Regina asked as she brought the decanter to her lips. She was too tired to filter her speech. She had been searching for months for the woman sitting on her couch opposite so she wasn’t interested in playing nice.

She lowered the glass as Emma blinked in surprise at the aggressive approach. “That looks like a neck brace mixed with one of those travel pillows,” she observed inclining her head to the collar. “Honestly, Dear. This _is_ the 21st Century.”

Emma finally showed a reaction, she smiled. It wasn’t a friendly smile. “Oh, please. Like you can talk. I know about the side ponytail and boob window.”

Regina shifted her head in curiosity but then lifted her shoulder in a delicate shrug. “Fair enough. Though in my defence I wasn’t aware of the fashion of this world.”

Emma was silent as she sipped her Whisky.

“Where have you been?” Regina asked in a strangled hiss. “Henry’s been worried sick! Snow and Charming are missing you like crazy, and your pirate boyfriend has been trying to see if a man can drink himself into rum!”

Emma rose fluidly to her feet, with a grace she hadn’t had as the Saviour. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“No, Emma wait!” Regina stood and placed her hands on her desk.

“Is that an order?” The Dark One hissed as she froze halfway to the door with her back towards Regina.

“What? Oh.” Regina glanced down and saw her fingers touching the pommel of the Dagger and slowly curled her fingers into her palm. “No, that was an accident.” She hesitated and then reached for it.

“I don’t want to control you. Here.”

It was the right thing to say to the Saviour turned Dark One and she pivoted to face the Mayor. She looked from the offered Dagger and back to the warm eyes of the Queen.

“It is best you keep it,” Emma said softly, and some part of her seemed to shine brighter for just a moment. “I can’t control the Darkness. It’s too hard.”

“Emma,” Regina said softly as she placed the Dagger on her forgotten paperwork. “Are you alright?” It wasn’t the best question she could have asked, and honestly were her thinking capacity not diminished by exhaustion she would have asked something more intelligent, but she did want to know that her friend was alright, well, as alright as she could be being the Saviour turned Dark One.  
“What can I do?”

Emma shook her head. “Nothing.”

She vanished in a cloud of dark smoke, her parting words lingering with the scent of rain, power, and something burnt. “Get some rest, Regina. The town needs you.”

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“ **Oh, you make me smile.”** The parting lyrics to the song were sung to a thousand pairs of ears at ten that night.

“ _Thank you, Romeo. Have you anything to add tonight_?” Jeremy Sanders had obviously given up trying to get information out of the Serenader if the defeat in his voice were anything to go by. When a reply came he was naturally startled.

“ **She is everything**.”

The line went dead and for a moment the radio station was silent, as were many households who waited to see what Jeremy would say in response to that.

“ _Wow…. Okay folks! We finally know that Romeo’s love is indeed Juliet! Wow!”_ It took Jeremy a moment to collect himself. “ _Look, Romeo. Why don’t you tell her? The worst she can do is say she isn’t interested_.” He continued to offer his advice before opening the line to other listeners. As usual there were people who told Romeo to get over himself, to move on, of course these were sent through text so that their voice wasn’t identified, but the first caller was sympathetic.

**“Romeo. I get where you’re coming from. My girl means the world to me, I wouldn’t know what I would do without her. Just go for it. Maybe you’re meant to be? You’ll never know unless you try.”**

“ **I agree with the first caller**.” Said the next. “ **You’re being a coward. Just tell her how you feel**.”

“ **Just ask her out.”** Many of the messages were of a similar theme.

“ **Maybe you could ask her how she feels about you** ,” said the final caller. “ **You said last week that you felt like a monster because you have taken a life. Talk to her about it, if you trust her, let her reassure or condemn you. Then you’ll know**.”

Spirits uplifted Jeremy continued on with the show and Ruby turned the volume down with a sigh.

“Night Ruby,” called one of their reliable dish-washers as he sauntered down the hall to the back exit. The door slammed behind him and his motorbike started moments later. Ruby flicked her hair over her shoulder as she sprayed sanitising product onto the final table, the powerful disinfected scent overwhelming her sensitive nose. As she rubbed at the table with a cloth she heard steps approaching.

“Forget your phone again, Matt?” She asked making sure that the mornings menu’s utensils were in their proper position.

Hearing no reply she turned and stilled immediately. The strangers scent had been masked by the steriliser and they stood watching her with their arms folded over their black hoodie.

“Can I help you?” Ruby asked warily as she shifted on her feet. Strangers didn’t just wander into a closed Diner at night. Not in this town.

Their arms shifted and Ruby tensed, ready for a fight.

The stranger paused at Ruby’s defensive shifting but then continued. Slowly their arm emerged from their pocket and they dropped a package wrapped in a sheet of paper onto the table top before inkling their head and pointedly turning their back on her. She bristled at the insult and stalked after the stranger but they moved, glided, down the hall and out onto the street before she could catch them. The door shut behind them and Ruby burst through it only to find the back of the alley was dark and lonely. Scowling she glanced left and right before stalking back into the Diner.

She went directly to the package and leant forward, relying on her nose to detect anything sinister. There was only paper, rubber, plastic, and ink. Feeling reassured, though with Storybrooke you could never tell, she reached for the package and examined it. It was wrapped in a red rubber-band and was wrapped in plain, lined, paper. She flicked the rubber-band off the package and slid it onto her wrist next to her hair tie, feeling her skin pull as the band twisted. The paper was wrapped around a large wad of cash, and had instructions typed on it.

 **Deliver to:** Regina Mills  
**Monday:** Chicken Caesar Salad. Peppermint tea. Eccles cake.  
**Tuesday:** Lasagne. Side Salad. Coffee: Black. One sugar. Almond slice.  
**Wednesday:** Grilled Cheese Sandwich. Side Salad. Root Beer. Apple slice.  
**Thursday** : Omelette. Side fries. Chai Late. Savoury scone.  
**Friday:** Panini: camembert, cranberry, chicken. Caramel Frappuccino. Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake.

“What the hell?” Ruby asked out loud before peering at the instructions and sizable amount of money. Shaking her head she pocketed the money and instructions planning to show Granny in the morning. Storybrooke was such a strange place.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

Regina’s alarm woke her far too early by her reckoning as she forced one eye open to search for the offending device. Her hand emerged from beneath her covers and she thumped it around on her dresser as she tried to find her chirping phone. She hadn’t had enough sleep to deal with this.

Eventually she found it and wrenched it free from its charger and tapped the screen. She sighed relieved into the silence. Now awake she rolled over onto her back and stared up at her ceiling, frowning as she noticed the spider webs intruding on her pristine room. But then, she considered as she forced her eyes open fully, her room wasn’t as pristine as usual. Her brows furrowed as she made a mental note to go over her house, top to bottom, and clean it. She doubted Robin had done any house work while he and Roland where here, and she hadn’t apart from dishes. Her alarm blared into the morning again and she brought her phone above her face to turn it off, not just snooze the alarm.

Down the hall she could hear another alarm going off and she instantly felt regenerated. Henry was home. Henry would be up soon. Normally she would have been awake much earlier, to prepare breakfast and Henrys snacks for school, but she had been so tired the night before and had decided to get him lunch from the Diner as well as breakfast.

The two Mills’ completed their morning rituals and were in the car on the way to the diner by quarter-past seven. They were quiet on the journey, soaking in the presence of the other and the peace their company brought.

Regina had spent much of the night before falling asleep thinking of what, if anything, to say to Henry. In the end she had decided that she wouldn’t tell her son that she had talked to his other mother, in fact she wouldn’t tell anyone. It had been a difficult decision to come to but she knew that as soon as she said anything whoever she told would be hopeful and try to summon her again. Emma obviously didn’t want to be around them, she would have come if she had, and she had only shown herself to Regina, as far as she knew. No, it would be best if she kept the rest of her family of it even though it pained her to do so, made her feel like she was betraying them, because she felt she could help Emma better if she did it alone. Hopefully Emma would come back tonight.

They had to park a ways from the Diner as it was early morning and many people had the same idea, parking spaces were fairly scarce.

The Diner was mostly full but thankfully they had reserved a booth last night for the morning and it was one of the only free tables. Ruby directed them to it with an odd look Regina couldn’t place. Henry seemed happier this morning and she felt a flash of guilt for her lie by omission, but told herself it was for the best. She would speak with Emma about telling Henry when she saw her next. Snow, David, and Neal arrived seven minutes past their agreed meeting time of half seven and Regina rolled her eyes, thankful that her son had learned the importance of time management from her.

Snow seemed a bit flushed and there was a spot of…something… on the top of her shirt. Spot being a meagre term. David was carrying the baby bag and carrier and he flashed a boyish smile in their direction. “Neal threw up all over Snow,” he smirked, clearly not supposed to tell the tale if the glare Snow shot him were any indication.

Regina’s lips curled and she slid from the booth to approach the two with her arms out. Snow’s thankful look as she passed off her son would have made the diners blanch and exchange murmurs of confusion several years ago, but now it brought smiles to faces. Everyone knew the former Evil Queen and her step-daughter were family, and would protect and care for each other as such.

“I always knew you were my favourite Charming,” Regina cooed to baby Neal as she rocked him back and forth in her arms and he giggled happily at her. He had recently learned how to squeal and his toothless grin when he did was sickeningly sweet. Snow rolled her eyes and made her way quickly to the bathroom and David settled the baby’s gear around the table.

Henry was smiling at the scene but it slowly fell from his face as he watched his mother beam at the baby and coo over how cute he was. His brow was tight as he turned his gaze to the table. Grinning David settled into the booth and rested an arm over the back of it, unknowingly mirroring his daughter’s posture from last night. “You won’t think he’s that cute when he’s thrown up all over you, or gotten poo poo’s all over his back.”

“Ew, Grandpa,” Henry’s look of disgust made Regina and David laugh.

“You did the same as a baby, you know,” Regina informed him as she tucked Neal closer to her, breathing in his baby smell and feeling a pang of nostalgia for baby Henry.

“Muuuum! I’m gonna eat soon!”

“Well, don’t get the chocolate sauce,” she said with an impish smile and David laughed.

“Mummmmm!” Henry groaned and Snow looked between them with curiosity as she arrived, a dark wet pouch on her shirt.

“Do I want to know?”

“Nope!” Said Henry suddenly and David and Regina shared a knowing look.

Regina gently handed Neal over to his mother and then waved her hand over Snow’s blouse, clearing it of the stain, the water, and ironing it. Snow shot her a disapproving look.

“You couldn’t have done that earlier?” She whined.

Regina just smiled and sat next to Henry. “I dealt with ruined clothes for years, its only fair you get the same. Henry always waited until I was ready for work, or in my favourite blouse, before losing his food.” Regina smiled fondly at him, love shining in her eyes and he felt the disturbance inside him settle. He was still his mum’s Little Prince.

“Morning Charming-Mills? Mills-Charming family?” Ruby shrugged as she decided it didn’t matter. “What can I get for ya?”

“Henry wants the banana pancakes with chocolate syrup,” David told Ruby with a straight face.

“Grandpa!”

The adults laughed.

“I’ll have the Big Breakfast, and a hot cho-berry smoothie” Henry said. Regina tilted her head slightly. “Please,” he added at his mother’s raised brow and was rewarded with her small smile.

“Me too, with a coffee,” said David patting his belly. “I’m a growing boy.”

“Growing out,” Snow muttered to Regina and David shot her a faux wounded look.

“I’ll have you know it’s all muscle!” He defended and flexed his arms.

“Sure, Honey,” Snow consoled her husband and handed Neal to him.

He turned beseechingly to Regina after settling his son in his carrier. “Regina, tell her its all muscle,” he whined.

“I’ll have the eggs benedict with a bacon instead of ham, please, and a caramel mocha,” she told the waitress, ignoring David’s impression of a kicked puppy. “I’m staying out of this, David.”

Ruby was grinning at the family’s antics as she looked to Snow for her order.

“Pancakes and a banana milkshake, thanks Ruby.”

“Be right out with your drinks,” she said as she moved over to the kitchen and placed their order. She was back a moment later with Friday’s paper.

“Thought you might be interested in this,” she said as she placed it on the table. The front page was still about the missing children, but at the bottom of that article was a picture of a small building with Magic Mic, Storybrooke’s radio station, in faded purple lettering. “Have a read.”

She sauntered back to the kitchen and stood for a moment conversing with one of the staff while Regina took the paper.

 

 **For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo**. By _Harold Phillips_

  
Last night the audience of _Jammin’ with Jeremey_ were rewarded when the Serenader, nicknamed Romeo, admitted that the woman he was pining for was indeed Juliet! Following Uncle Kracker’s You make me smile, the unknown singer confessed on air that Juliet “[was] everything.” This admission comes after months of speculation about the identity of the caller and the person who had captured his heart.

 

The article went on to recap the entire saga, reusing previous material, even Sheriff Department statements from when the Serenader was suspected of crimes. Harold again offered his advice and opinions and then ended the article.

 

The tale of the star-crossed lovers is well known, but will our very own Romeo and Juliet end the way that they did? Only time will tell. I, for one, will be eagerly tuning in on Monday to hear what Romeo has to say next.

 

Regina lowered the article as Ruby came back with a milkshake and berry smoothie.

“I still think its sweet,” she said as she placed the drinks down and bounced back to the kitchen to get the coffee and mocha.

Snow was in ready agreement. “Aw, it’s so cute,” she gushed sounded every bit the fairy-tale princess she was. Regina merely rolled her eyes, but with a hint of fondness. David was smiling winningly at his wife.

“As long as you aren’t going around serenading anyone any time soon,” Regina informed Henry warningly.

“Muuum!” Henry groaned again and sucked obnoxiously on his milkshake. The adults laughed and enjoyed the rest of their morning together as a family, though there was a spare seat and a person missing.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

Regina Mills rested in bed with her beside light on and a book in her hands. It was Sunday night and she and Henry had spent the day with Snow, Charming and Neal at the park. It was difficult to drag herself and Henry along without feeling guilty, but they were a family and hadn’t spent all that much time together just being together so she and Snow had organised a picnic and afternoon in the park. David and Henry had rolled around on the grass while Snow and Regina sat talking about safe subjects; mostly the town, Henry, and baby Neal.

They had brought up Emma, mainly Snow with Regina out of guilt for having a good time while their daughter was still missing. Regina had reassured Snow that she was still looking for answers, not wanting to share what she had learned about being or becoming the Dark One. The words in those texts had made even her former dark heart clench with sympathy and regret for what Emma was going through.

Henry had thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon as Regina couldn’t bring herself to tumble with him outside of the safety of their own home, it was a lesson she had learnt very early on; show decorum in public and to not behave like a peasant, and it was difficult for her to forget her mother’s teachings. Emma had been good at those things, free to be with Henry in a way that Regina couldn’t. She was able to tumble around on the grass and get filthy, to practice their abysmal fencing skills on each other, to play ball with Henry. Regina wanted to; wanted to be there for Henry in any way that he needed her to, but shadows of her mother’s voice still lingered and she always turned him down.

Her phone rang, breaking her from the dull normalcy of boy meets girl’s eyes from across the room and with some minor setbacks they fall in love, which was the plot of the novel she was currently reading. It was in the top ten reads for the year but it was so boring. It was recycled fiction. She wished the authors of this world, and any other for that matter, would go with something less cliché than a straight, white, conventionally attractive love triangle.

It was an unknown number and past ten at night so she was cautious as she answer. “Regina Mills.”

There was silence on the end of the line and Regina waited a moment before asking who was ringing her at such an ungodly hour. There was no reply.

“If this is a prank call-” she began.

“Wait, don’t hang up.”

“Emma?” Regina let her book fall closed on her lap.

“I just needed to hear your voice,” the Saviour’s voice sounded muffled, as though she were speaking though water and Regina waited to hear what Emma had to say. She was on the verge of speaking when the line went dead. Frustrated she tried to call her back, only to realise that the number was unavailable because it was a private call. She refrained from tossing her cell across the room but barely. Resigned to a night with little sleep Regina picked up her book and tried to get back into it. If the amateur author’s words were anything to go by, there would soon be a corny love scene to come. _Wonderful_.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“ _Hey Romeo, anything to add?”_ Jeremy Sanders asked on Wednesday night. He and his audience were rather hopeful because for the past two nights the mysterious man had given slight glimpses into the woman he was in love with. She was apparently a wonderful mother, and was really funny.

There was a moment’s pause as Romeo thought for a moment. “ **She makes me want to be a better person**.”

“ _Alright, thanks Romeo. You have a good night, and build that courage to tell her how you feel_ ,” Jeremy said as the line clicked off and he opened the air to callers. It had almost been a month of serenading and the lover was still as popular as ever with the people of the city.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“I don’t understand how one person can make you feel so many things.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“Wh **en she smile’s it’s like I’ve been punched in the gut.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“She makes me laugh.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“ **When I’m with her I feel like flying.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“She cares.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“I can’t take my eyes off her.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“She’s passionate.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

" **So warm."**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**"Her smile."**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**"So kind."**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“ **She’s the strongest person I know.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

**“I love her.”**

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Regina Mills sighed as she closed the door behind her. It had been two weeks after she returned to work part-time-she needed to or would be fired for not being able to complete her job, Snow and Henry had convinced her to go back- and she had finally cleared the work her two month absence had left behind. Her assistant was adequate, but she was still just an assistant and some things she couldn’t or wouldn’t do.

Henry was spending the afternoon with his grandfather. They were going fishing or something, so Regina had the afternoon and evening to herself to prepare dinner when her son returned tired and hungry.

She clicked down the hall to the kitchen and turned her coffee machine on before going to her room and changing out of her work clothes. It had been a difficult decision, going back to work instead of searching for Emma, but the Sheriff obviously didn’t want to be found. She was sure she was okay, well, as okay as she could be the Saviour turned Dark One, as since that Sunday night her phone had rung at half ten every night and she was sure it was the same blocked number, even if Emma was silent. So she had taken to telling the Sheriff about her day, and what was going on with the family and with the town. Emma was silent most of the time, but last night she had gotten a quick “thank you,” before the line had gone dead.

She still hadn’t told Snow, Henry, or Charming as something about their late night conversations, one sided conversations, seemed personal, something between her and Emma. And it wasn’t as though she hadn’t asked for Emma to come home or to show herself to her family, each time she had the line had gone dead, so she no longer asked.

Dressed in an old t-shirt soft from use and a pair of black yoga pants she lightly jogged down the stairs to the foyer. Sometimes it felt nice to move faster than a walk, and it did speed things up. She made her way into the kitchen when she drew to an abrupt halt. Her favourite cup with “ _World’s Best Mum_!” on it in curvy pink lettering was steaming at the island.

The scent of coffee hung heavy in the air and her eyes were instantly drawn to the figure in the corner leaning against the counter.

“Breaking and entering is a crime, Miss Swan. As you well know,” she huffed and moved into the kitchen as though having the Saviour turned Dark One in her house was a usual occurrence. She felt a brief pang for her heels and work clothes as an immaculate appearance was its own form of armour, and she could have done with the extra height.

“I used a key,” the Dark One deadpanned and a slender house key dangled from her fingers. “You need to find a better hiding place for it than under the pots next to the back door.”

“Henry used to forget his. It’s in a place he’ll remember, and you can put it back.” Regina leant against the other end of the counter and watched the Dark One curiously.

A half smile curled Emma’s lips before she opened her fingers and the key vanished.

“Thank you,” Regina inclined her head once and inhaled the coffee as she eyed Emma through the steam.

“Why are you here, Emma?”

The Dark One shifted and a frown appeared on her features. “Fine. I’ll go.”

“Emma, don’t you dare run away!” Regina took a step forward and iron entered her tone. The Dark one paused and Regina inhaled deeply.

“I don’t want you to go,” she said softly, and raised her hands slightly to the platinum blonde. “I just have so many questions, and you...” She lifted her shoulders in a graceful shrug, dark eyes gentle.

Emma looked down and shuffled her feet. It was a gesture so familiar that Regina felt a smile rising to her lips. If it weren’t for the hair, clothes, and aura, Emma could have been the same Emma from a half year ago sheepishly confessing to tripping over the curb and spilling their coffees all over herself.

“I…I don’t know,” she said and looked up, a lost expression in her eyes, looking out of place with the rest of her.

“Where are you staying?” Regina asked, wanting to ask more pressing questions but figuring that she could get away with this less invasive question.

Emma’s brow furrowed. “Uh, the woods?”

Regina’s mind raced. “I’ll set up the guest bedroom.” Emma’s eyes widened and she jerked back in surprise.

“Henry and your parents don’t have to know,” she said interrupting any protest. “Not until you are ready. We can Ward the room to keep anyone from going in there, and you can stay here during the day.”

Emma blinked, she seemed almost stunned, like an animal under the gaze of headlights.

“Uh.”

“You can help me look into ways to help you-“

Emma’s features contorted in rage and she spat, “I don’t wanna be fixed!” and vanished in a plume of black smoke, shattering the glass in the kitchen as she left.

“Emma!” Regina was left alone in the kitchen surrounded by shattered glass. “Damn it!”

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“ _Hey Romeo. Everything all right over there_?” Jeremy asked as the final notes of Pink’s True Love faded. Over the last week Romeo had been singing angry love songs. Neyo, _So Sick_ ; Kanye West, _Heartless_ ; Avril Lavigne, _Complicated, My happy ending_ , featured. General consensus was that whatever Juliet had done, Romeo wasn’t happy.

_“Wanna talk about it?”_

There was a moment’s pause and then Romeo sighed. “ **I just- she makes me so angry**.”

Jeremy leant back in his chair. “ _The ones we love tend to do that_ ,” he smiled. “ _And from what you’ve said you do love this girl_.” He went on to list the things his girlfriend did that annoyed him. “ _And I said, “Babe, I just got home. I want to sit back, relax, and watch the fucking game! I’ll take the trash out in the morning!” Of course_ ,” said Jeremey sheepishly, “ _she had been asking me to do it for a few days and I probably shouldn’t have brought up the time she takes to get ready when we go out. If you’re listening, sorry babe_.” He cleared his throat as Romeo still hadn’t hung up. “ _Listen Romeo, relationships take work, even if you are just friends. Whatever happened that pissed you off, talk to her about it, see it from her point of view, yeah_?”

“ **Thanks**.” The static backlash shivered through the airwaves.

“ _Good luck, Romeo! Looking forward to hearing about it on Monday_!” The host opened the air for callers and played the next song.

As the first notes of ACDC’s classic _Thunderstruck_ began to drum into the room Romeo turned from the radio and silenced it with a wave. A pale finger dialled a familiar number and within moments a familiar voice was heard. “Oh, so now you want to talk?”

“Hey...Regina.”


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Character Death. And non-graphic descriptions of injuries and death cause by fire.

 

 

PART TWO:

 

“ _Okay_!” Jeremy spoke enthusiastically into the mic. “ _So how are things with our star-crossed lovers?”_ Romeo had just sung a more recent song, John Legend’s _All of me_ , and was now lingering as he had been doing recently to answer a few of Jeremy’s questions.

 

“ **Tough. I still haven’t told her how I feel. I don’t wanna ruin a good thing, ya know?”**

 

“ _Look man, I’ve told you before. You needa tell her, what’s the worst that could happen_?”

 

“ **Oh, I don’t know,”** the sarcasm was evident. “ **She could reject me. Say we can only be friends. Say we can’t be friends. Move towns. Be awkward**.”

 

“ _Fair point_ ,” Jeremey noted. “ _But what if she feels the same?”_

 

“ **She doesn’t** ,” Romeo scoffed.

 

“ _If_ _you don’t talk about it how can you know_?”

 

Romeo was quiet for a moment. **“I just know. She has someone else.”**

 

“ _Ah, well if there_ is _another man in the way, take him out of the picture! People fall in and out of love all the time. Show her he isn’t the guy for her, that his faults are your strengths, and then swoop in and ride off into the sunset!”_

 

“ **On my white steed**?” Deadpanned Romeo.

 

“ _Something like that_ ,” Sanders agreed. “ _This other guy, does he love her?”_

 

“ **He claims to, but words mean nothing**.” Romeo’s reply was swift, as though he had thought about it often.

 

“ _Does he love their kids?”_

 

There was a crunch and then the line went dead.

 

“ _Romeo? You still there man? Well,”_ said Jeremy when there was no reply _. “Looks like Romeo is gone for the night. Let’s see about tomorrow.”_

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The blaring of her cell-phone made Regina smile as she removed her reading glasses and reached it. It was later than Emma normally rang her and she fondly shook her head. It had been a month since the blonde had secretly moved into one of the guest rooms of 108 Mifflin street and they had finally settled into a routine. When Emma had rung her Regina had said they would be having this conversation face-to-face, and so they had. They had talked, the most they had since she had become the Dark One, and had decided that Emma would move into Regina’s guest room if a few conditions were met.

 

Firstly, no one could know that Emma was here, not even Henry. Regina had begrudgingly agreed, though had asked Emma to at least message him or ring him so that he knew she was alright. Henry’s shout of delight when Emma sent him a voice mail (during school so he couldn’t answer it) had startled Regina when he had rung her immediately after, her ear would never be the same. She had asked him to pass it on that she was fine, and for them to stop looking for her and to go back to their normal lives. When Killian had found out he had appeared drunkenly on her doorstep but thankfully Emma wasn’t home and she was able to toss him, gleefully, down her path.

 

The second term was that Regina had to return to work full-time, not part-time, not full-time with weekends and afternoons spent looking for answers, but full-time, with time for Henry, Snow and David, and for herself. This was the term that Regina had had the most difficulty with. After a lot of shouting and screaming (within a Warded room) she had finally learnt that Emma didn’t really want to be cured. She had accepted that she was now the Dark One, and maybe this was karmic retribution for her parents taking away her potential to go Dark. Now she was complete. Begrudgingly Regina had agreed, though had made a term of her own; Emma would come to her for help, no matter when and for anything. She would drop anything accept Henry to help her friend. Regina had also learnt that it was Emma who had approached Ruby about feeding her, she wanted her to remember to eat.

 

The third term was that Emma wasn’t a guest. She would cook and clean and help pay for things around the house and property. Regina understood. She didn’t want to be a charity case, not that she ever could as she was friend and was family. How they managed these things without letting Henry onto Emma’s arrival at the mansion would be discussed later.

 

Regina had insisted that Emma speak to Henry, or at least message him every two days, if not every day, and her parents once a week, just to keep things calm. Reluctantly Emma had agreed. Henry wasn’t the issue. After the first few questions she had instructed him not to ask about her, or where she was, or anything else, and after whining and moaning he had agreed. He instead filled their mostly one-sided conversations with talk; what was happening at school, around the town, that Neal had thrown a tantrum and had tossed his food across the table.

 

Her reluctance to talk to Snow and, well, mostly her mother, was simply because they were tearful, then angry, then sad again, begging for her to come how. They wanted to know where she was, what she was doing, when she was coming home, and more importantly, had she done anything. On that front she was pleased to inform them that she had so far resisted genocide, but she’d let them know when she gave in. Regina had merely raised a brow from the kitchen when she had heard her sarcastic response, and had kept chopping onions.

 

So far her residency at Mifflin was going well. She mowed the lawns and gardened while Regina and Henry were at work and school, giving into using the magic by casting a barrier over the backyard so that no curious eyes could see her there. She water blasted the back fence, sanded it, and then painted it. She was considering building a small greenhouse in the corner, or maybe a wooden seat. She had cleaned the bird baths, giggling at Regina in her head because Snow was the bird-speaker, not the Queen, and had pulled apart the rotten boards around the vegetable patch and had replaced them. While she was clearing the shed, mostly so she could put her car in there, she wanted to keep it close, she had come across a set of old and worn clothes with car polish and wash, and wondered if Regina did wash the Benz herself.

 

Inside the house she vacuumed and dusted, polished the wooden floors and door-handles until she could see her own pale reflection. There was a leaky pipe in Henry’s bathroom, a creaky door, a dead fire alarm battery, and a broken window in the garage which she fixed. She did all of this by hand, mostly to keep herself busy and to give her something to concentrate on. Once she had done all of that she had started to colour in. Regina had brought home an adult colouring book when she had brought Henry his latest comic, and many evenings she could be found with an intense look of concentration on her face with her tongue peaking between her lips as she carefully kept inside the lines. The voices were loudest when she was alone, and they only silenced when Henry and Regina were home.

 

She liked afternoons and mornings best. The Mills household was alive with noise and sometimes laughter, and the smell of food. Regina made the best food. Ever. No doubt about it. The woman was a goddess, in the kitchen. At night when it was quiet and the voices were loudest she would ring Regina and would let her talk into the silence and it anchored her, pulled her from the turbulence that was the Darkness whispering to her. Regina had accepted their night time chats as ritual, though had at first wondered why they couldn’t talk face to face or during the day. But Emma felt vulnerable at night, and so Regina accepted her need for distraction and talked. Nowadays she talked about herself, her memories of Henry. The memories of the missing year were slowly fading and the clung to them with all that she had, it helped that Regina was more than willing to share these stories with her, she loved hearing her laugh. Sometimes Emma opened up about her childhood, and Regina did the same. She liked that they had similar crappy childhoods. They got each other.

 

Regina liked having another adult in the house after Robin. It made her days when Henry was with his grandparents or with friends less lonely. She used those times to talk to Emma, nothing deep or intimate, they saved that for night. She taught her how to cook Henry’s favourite foods and treats, and told her stories of Snow, and her days as Queen. Emma had never shied away from the Evil Queen, and as Dark One she was still capable of seeing Regina in everything that the former tyrant told her of what she did. The Dark One could relate, after all.

 

Regina’s brow furrowed as she answered the cell and realised it wasn’t Emma calling, it was the Storybrooke Police Department.

 

“David?” She sat up in bed and flung her legs over the side. “What’s going on?”

 

She could hear the whining of an engine and the faint shouts of people down the line.

 

“We need you at the forest!” David shouted into the phone before his voice could be heard distantly shouting for them to evacuate some houses.

 

“Where are you?” Regina asked as she pulled her phone from its charger and got to her feet, ignoring how her body yearned for the warmth of her mattress and duvet.

 

“Off Old Man’s Track.”

 

“How will I find you,” she asked as she flicked her hand and was dressed.

 

“Trust me,” David’s voice was strained. “You’ll be able to.”

 

He hung up and Regina tucked her phone into her pocket before moving through the house. She knocked on Emma’s door, hoping she was in so that she could explain what had happened. Hearing no answer she opened it slightly only to find it was empty. Cursing the blonde’s timing she quickly wrote Henry a note and stuck it to the wall outside his door then vanished in a tornado of purple.

 

When she arrived she had to take a moment to centre herself. It looked as though the entire forest were on fire. The heat lapped hungrily at her skin and she felt herself getting dirtier as she stood there. Fire roared and spat and devoured, an eternal hunger, as it fell upon tree after tree. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky, merging with the stars in a haze of coal. It was easy to see how she wouldn’t have missed it. The glow of the flames was like that of a fireplace. Only the fireplace was several dozen hectares of forest. Some of the larger trees were cloaked in flame, great silhouettes against a dark sky. Small sparks were caught in the cloud of smoke almost like a second veil of stars.

 

The largest Storybrooke steam engine was parked at the dirt track, the firefighters just staring at the flames with dismay. It was far too large for their single engine and the fire was a full on forest inferno.

 

The cruiser was flashing behind the engine and David was standing with Ruby and Tod trying to figure out whether there were people in the fires path.

 

“David!” She called as she strode towards him and the look of relief that flashed across his face made her wish she had a camera. It wasn’t very often someone was so happy to see her. She could feel the sharp heat of the fire hit her as she got closer, and almost instantly her clothes stuck to her body and she was grateful for the small breeze that pressed at her from the left.

 

“Regina! Thank god!” He moved to meet her, leaving Tod and Ruby to their duties. They spoke a moment before Ruby ran over to the cruiser and got behind the wheel. The tires screeched as she roared back down the track.

 

“It spreads all the way across up to Half Moon Creak, a couple on the Lookout called it in. Only the wind rushing through the valley has pushed the fire around, it looks like an arc.” He made a gesture with his hands.

 

“We’re evacuating the houses closest but we don’t have the man power or resources to stop this.”

 

Regina lifted her hand to silence him and strode towards the wall of fire, people falling out of her path.

 

They watched as she lifted both arms and then a wall of purple burst from her palms, rushing at the fire. Purple curled around the flaming trees before they tilted and fell, left to burn on the ground as she moved down the line of fire. With her left hand she made a grasping gesture the lines of trees to that side of her, in the path of the fire, groaned and creaked as they were torn from the earth and tossed back to her left. With the area clear of fuel the firefighters immediately organised the volunteers, who were now arriving if the number of vehicles was anything to go by, and ordered them to start digging trenches.

 

The Mayor continued to stride through the forest, gently arching to the left, with her hands out at both sides. One, keeping the fire from spreading further forward, and the other, ripping trees from the ground and throwing them out of reach. Part way through her walk the wind changed and pressed the fire against her barrier and she hoped that the time she had given the volunteers was enough to keep them ahead of the flame. To buy them more time-as she kept her magical barrier in place for as long as she could before shifting it forward with her- she ordered the ignited trees to bind together as tightly as possible in order to keep the fire from jumping to other branches. This meant that the flame was a writhing, spitting mass contained in a smaller area and it was much more difficult for her to hold back.

 

Smoke was being blown across the earth in front of her, crawling through the trees and coating her skin and clothes. She ignored it, just as she ignored the sparks that settled on her skin, lost as she was in her purpose and the magic. By the time she had walked for an hour she was exhausted and had started to slow down, though she had only walked a half dozen kilometres.

 

She walked to the stream and halted. Her magic was lethargic as it lifted the trees from the ground and tossed them through the air. She hoped that with the barrier she had just made, with the help of the volunteers, would keep the fire contained and it would burn itself out. To make things easier she lifted her left arm at the river and pulled. The river slowly rose and began to snake its way across the smoke and ash darkened sky. Relieved Regina waved her hand and the water rained down upon the flames. Hissing and spitting like a cat the fire strained against the down pour but eventually submitted and smouldered and steamed.

 

Beyond her line the forest was still a mixture of oranges, reds, and blacks. Trees screamed as they fell to the ground with a crash.

 

Returning back to herself she became aware of what a dangerous situation she had gotten herself into.

 

Her sweat was running black veins down her skin and her eyes were burning. “Argh,” she grunted and then began to cough; harsh and hacking as she sought to expel the deadly toxins she had unwittingly inhaled. Doubling over she tried to draw air into her lungs and then realised her stupidity. Forcing herself upright she began to make her way into the untouched forest as quickly as she could. Her magical reserves were dangerously low, too low for her to teleport herself from the forest let alone her immediate area and she immediately used it to clear her air, creating a clear bubble around her head. Ash and smoke fell from the bubble and settled on her clothes and exposed skin but she ignored it as she tried to get as far away from the fire as possible.

 

She was a few dozen meters away when she finally slowed, stumbling into a tree and leaning against it as she dispelled her protection bubble, unable to justify keeping it there.

 

Her inner monologue was full of curses, she may have even heard her mother there, tell her what a foolish girl she had been. It took her a good ten minutes until her body stopped its vigorous coughing and when her trembling subsided she straightened and pulled the shards of her composure to her.

 

Her boots carried her back towards the fire, feeling the heat flare against her tender skin. She ignored it and ducked her nose and mouth into the collar of her shirt. It didn’t help against the smoke much. Her clothing was heavy and stiff with smoke and ash and each inhale sent the air roaring down her raw throat and into her burning lungs. No, she thought lifting her head up, best not breathe in any more smoke and ash if she could help it. She was dimly aware of her health as she approached the volunteers and examined their work.

 

Her chest rose and fell sharply to a quick beat even though she hadn’t walked very far very fast and she could feel a headache rousing to triumph behind her eyes.

 

From the river to the carpark there was an arc of volunteers with shovels and buckets. They had long gloves over their clothing, covering as much skin as possible, and wore glasses and masks. Regina took a moment to congratulate herself on a volunteer division well organised and supplied as it had been one of her decisions as Mayor before the curse was broken.

 

“Madam Mayor,” called one of the volunteers who saw her first, his voice muffled through his mask. “The Sheriff was looking for you earlier, he’s up at the base,” he informed her as he continued to dig.

 

Regina nodded regally as she walked past him and back up the line towards the base. People spared her a glance before going back to work and she saw people of all shapes and sizes and ages passing along moist sacks, buckets of water, drinking water, and running up and down the line with medical supplies. They weren’t as over run as they could have been, and Regina extinguished bits of the fire as she passed, but her magic was too low to combat most of it. Her magical barrier had done wonders and her removing all of the fuel in front of the flames had helped. It also made the dirt soft and uneven and volunteers were scooping it up and tossing it on the ground to smother the small flames. It looked like back breaking work and Regina spared a moment of sympathy for the volunteers before continuing onward.

 

David was leaning against the hood of the cruiser with a map spread across the top. Ruby was standing next to him pointing at a spot on the map, a dark smug across her cheek where she had smeared it.

 

“Regina! Are you alright?” Ruby asked as she was first to notice the Mayor’s arrival. David snapped around so fast she feared he might have whiplash. His face was pale beneath the soot and she stilled.

 

“What is it?” She rasped as she got closer, picking up her pace and David instinctively handed her a water bottle. Grateful she took it and took a sip, only to cough and splutter it back up. Covering her mouth with her sleeve she waited for the hacks to subside before trying again, this time taking a small sip. The water was warm as it slid down her throat but by god, it was the best water she had ever tasted. Ruby turned away from them for a moment to answer her cell phone.

 

“The fire’s spread,” David informed her quietly and placed a gentle hand on her back to guide her over to the cruiser. “It’s here, here and here.” He pointed to each of the positions on the map, marked by red sharpie.

 

“This is no accident,” Ruby said as she pulled away from her cell phone. “I had Kent go up to the Lookout when the fire started. The other fires started within seconds of each other, he said.”

 

She listened a moment to whoever was on the other side before nodding. “Okay. Yup, thanks. Keep me posted.”

 

“He said it’s in a circle around Giant’s Throne.” Regina nodded as she took another small sip of water. She knew the rock. It was a large outcrop in the middle of the forest next to a stream and was a popular destination for the more adventurous of Storybrooke’s teens. Before she had become the Dark One, Emma had to make the trek to reprimand the youth for throwing bottles off the rock, firing fire-works and even fire-arms off the outcrop. It was a dangerous climb but allowed a grand view of Storybrooke’s sky and forest.

 

“Should be just let it burn out, then?” Regina croaked. If they forced all sides of the fire on itself it would have no choice but to burn out, and they could contain the damage.

 

“The Merry Men moved camp there about a week-“

 

Regina’s exhaustion was forgotten. Robin and Roland. She vanished in a cloud of purple smoke and reappeared in the camp of the Merry Men.

“Robin,” she croaked and had to clear her throat. “Roland!” She screamed, feeling her entire body strain with the effort and it clenched as it tried to expel the soot and ash she had inhaled.

 

The camp was in disarray. Bed-rolls and tents were left haphazardly and their banked fire hummed merrily in the night as though sensing a greater fire approaching.

 

The smoke was thick here, burning. The roar of the fire getting closer as whips and teeth of flame fell hungrily on the trees and undergrowth.

 

Hearing voices she followed them and stumbled down the bank and into the stream. Huddled in the pool were the Merry Men and Regina instantly moved into the water, feeling her body sing with relief as it was soothed by the water.

 

“Regina!” It was Robin, ash over his clothes with patches of it burnt. His eyes were rimmed red and weeping but he favoured her with a smile of relief as he came to her.

 

“Robin! You’re surrounded,” she rasped as she got close to him and his features tightened.

“We know.”

 

He gestured around him. “We don’t know what happened. Are you going to get us out of here?” Hearing his words the Merry Men turned hopeful eyes on her and she was unable to deny them.

 

She tried to swallow, and when she couldn’t nodded anyway. “I’m going to try.”

 

Instantly Robin turned and began to bellow orders. The youngest were immediately brought forward and Regina took their hands and forced her magic to lift them all from the water and to somewhere safe. She stumbled when she landed them next to David and he immediately understood what she was doing, calling for help as she vanished again.

 

A dozen times she returned to the camp and back to the base, taking people with her each time. Her already low magical reserves dwindled with each teleportation until it began to take her life force as fuel, but she pushed on.

 

Her last return to the Merry Men camp ended up with her on her knees in the shallows of the pool, rocks crunching beneath her weight and hard and cold against her body. Robin and Little John weren’t in the river and she stumbled once, twice before getting to her feet as she peered around for them.

 

The air was thick and heavy with soot and ash, and she could hear her breath rasping and her body clenching in pain with every breath she took. Over the roar and crackling of the fire, the flames were lapping eagerly at the water of the stream now, and she could see the fire in the camp, hungrily falling upon the tents and bedrolls. “Roland!” She could hear Robin shouting and with a surge of adrenaline she was scrambling her way up the bank, coughing all the while as her fingers dug into the earth to help her up.

 

Above the bank the situation was even worse than she had thought. The camp was still flanked by a burning ring of fire-ha, burning ring of fire, her tired mind thought- and embers were igniting on the branches, eagerly eating at the leaves and twigs and bark before flaring into death. But enough of the fire’s children were raining on the land and it was helpless under the onslaught, slowly catching fire and spreading.

 

“Roland! Roland where are you? Come out! It’s Papa!”

 

Robin was somewhere in front of her screaming for Roland and she figured that Little John was somewhere close looking for him as well.

 

Through the smoke and fire she heard a whimper and she spun around frantic for the source. Behind her she heard a creaking and then a crash and a splash followed by a hissing and bubbling as a flaming tree fell across the river.

 

The petrified cry came again and Regina strained to hear where it was coming from. She narrowed in on a shuffling bush and quickly moved towards it.

 

“Ro-Roland?” She forced out and didn’t have to ask her body to fall to the ground next to it, it did so eagerly, happily succumbing to exhaustion near the bush.

 

“’Gina?” Piped up a small voice and a petrified face peered through the bushes before launching itself at her.

 

“Roland,” she clutched the small boy to her even as the force of his hug sent her reeling backwards, her energy unable to keep her upright.

 

“I couldn’t leave Monkey,” he whimpered into her collar as he clung to her and Regina noticed the fluffy toy in his hand.

 

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Regina whispered as she wrapped trembling arms around him. “It’s okay,” she comforted as the trees near them began to ignite.

 

“Regina! Roland!” It was Robin and she looked over to him as he tossed himself from between the flames of two trees and knelt gasping and wheezing before them.

 

As though sensing the impending escape of its victims the fire burned brighter and harder.

 

“What are you waiting for?” Robin wheezed out and lurched to his feet as one of the trees next to him split and fell towards him with a groan.

 

“I don’t have the magic,” Regina rasped, feeling her voice crack and break under the strain.

 

Robin’s eyes snapped to meet her across the distance and he looked from her to Roland and she saw him break. In times long past she would have revealed in breaking a man as soundly as Robin just did but now she only felt her heart clench as she realised that they would die here, together. Roland would never have his first kiss or learn how to drive; he would never fall in love; never know the joy having a child would bring.

 

“Papa!” Roland turned in Regina’s arms and they tightened as he tried to go to his father.

 

“Stay there, Roland!” Robin commanded though his panting. “Stay with Regina. She’ll keep you safe,” he promised, even as he accepted that they weren’t going to make it.

 

Robin scurried to sit next to them as the fire crept closer and she spared him a glance before thinking of Henry; of his laugh, his first tooth, learning to walk, his birthday, him learning who she was, the Neverland journey, the year without him, their True Love Kiss, reading comics together, making pillow and sheet forts in the living room, lazy afternoons drawing and baking. It all flashed behind her eyes and she looked to the child in her arms and then across at Robin who was inching closer. Sparks were falling from the trees around them, smoke billowing through the fierce air and she clutched Roland tighter and slowly, ever so slowly, he began to disperse in bright violet smoke.

 

“Papa!” He cried out terrified and Robin looked from him to Regina, whose face was contorted with pain and a drop of blood leaking from her nose.

“I love you, Roland. Papa loves you,” Robin said as he fell to his knees in front of the pair, haloed by flames.

 

“Papa!” Roland called out as his father and Regina faded from view and the world of fire turned to green forest with cars and people around. “’Gina!”

 

A volunteer had been the first to spot the disturbance in the air around them and had immediately forced everyone back away from the area, calling for the Sheriff and for medical assistance.

 

Those who gathered watched as a small body slowly formed in the air, shrouded in bright purple smoke. In the air around him they could see fire, and a body pressed tightly around the boy as he materialised.

 

David’s face paled as he realised who was holding Roland and he quickly moved forward, hovering uncertainly outside the aura of magic as, painfully slowly, Roland was lifted from where ever he was in the forest to the base camp.

 

As he solidified they could hear a man’s voice talking to him. “Papa loves you.” And the boy cried out a final time, with tears smearing the soot on his face, “Gina!”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Groaning into his pillow Henry Daniel Mills turned over and waited for sleep to claim him. The loud, obnoxious banging which had awoken him in the first place came again, this time with his name. “Henry!”

 

“Argh,” he turned his head back into his pillow, his grandmother would go away soon enough.

 

“Henry!” Snow called again and Henry forced an eye open as he realised his grandmother was out of place. She shouldn’t be here, not when it was still, he peered at the clock, too early to be up, and she would never be yelling and banging without his Mum hearing her and inviting her inside so that he could sleep.

 

Any minute now his Mum would answer the door and his grandmother would be quiet and he’d sleep for another three hours until he had to get up to go to school. Any minute.

 

“Henry!” Snow called again and he could see his cell phone light up, though it didn’t ring as he had a no contact policy between ten and seven. Sleep was important.

 

His Mum hadn’t answered the door. Groaning he pushed the covers off and padded across his room to the door in his socks. He wrenched the door open and paused. Stuck to the photo opposite his door was a note in his mother’s hand. He could see it by the light of the nightlight Regina had always kept outside his room in case he had to get up at night. Reaching for the light switch he turned it on and waited for his eyes to adjust.

 

 

Henry.

There’s been an emergency and David needs my help. Ring me or your grandfather when you get up.

Love you, Mum.

 

 

Suddenly concerned he turned and jogged down the hall to the steps, taking them two at a time and leaping the final three and landing heavily on the wooden floor. He could see the silhouette of his grandmother at the door lit by the outside light. Evidently Snow had heard his landing for her head was peering through the glass.

 

Reaching the door he flung it open so suddenly that Snow recoiled slightly. His grandmother looked worried. Her normal happy face was drawn and pale and her eyes were rimmed red.

 

“Grandma?”

 

Tears welled in Snow’s eyes as she looked at him. “Henry, go and get dressed. Something warm. Something’s happened…Regina….”

 

Henry felt his features fall and fingers of fear tickled their way up his spine, rousing the small, fine hairs there. “Where’s Mum?! What happened?” A note of hysteria entered his voice and it cracked slightly and he ignored his embarrassment in favour of his rising fear.

 

“She’s in hospital,” Snow blurted before wincing as Henry stumbled back slightly. “She’s okay,” Snow said raising a hand, “She’s alive.”

 

Henry clutched at the door, feeling it shudder under his weight and sway on the hinges.

 

“Go get changed,” Snow instructed her grandson. “I’ll drive you and explain on the way.”

 

“But-“

 

“No arguments. Regina will kill me if you get sick because I let you leave without proper clothes. Go on,” she shooed him off and he bolted up the stairs and into his room. He tore his pyjamas off and pulled on a shirt, jersey and jeans, forcing his feet into some worn trainers. He grabbed his cell and a jacket and threw himself back down the hallway and down the stairs. He passed through the kitchen to grab his set of keys, which his Mum had found and put on the hook where they belonged.

 

His feet padded down the hall and he had a moment’s thought that his Mum would be unhappy for his running in the house, but brushed it off as he remembered she was in hospital.

 

Panting he returned to his grandmother and locked the house before following her down the drive.

 

“What happened? What was the emergency?” He demanded as he jammed his keys into his pocket and his phone into the other.

 

“There was a fire in the forest,” Snow explained as she got into the car and swivelled in her seat to check on her sleeping son before starting the car and putting it into gear after making sure she and Henry had their belts on. It was still dark, though dawn was encroaching through the shadows, and the street was lit eerily by their headlights and street lights.

 

“I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t there, no one was, but David said the Merry Men said she saved them. She teleported them out of the fire. The last anyone saw of her she had sent Roland to safety.”

 

Henry felt a pang of resentment towards the boy, if his Mum hadn’t liked him then she wouldn’t have gotten hurt saving him. Then he felt incredibly guilty for thinking that, of course his Mum would save them, she was a hero now!

 

“We thought we’d lost her until one of the paramedics told David that Regina was being treated at hospital. David called me immediately and I came to get you.”

 

Henry took a moment to ponder the severity of his grandmother’s words as they pulled into the hospital car parking. The parking was fuller than normal and other families were already heading towards the doors. As they found a park an ambulance roared up to the curb with lights flashing and siren wailing. A person on a stretcher was wheeled quickly into the building.

 

The teenager waited impatiently as his grandmother fussed with Neal before charging ahead of her and into the hospital. The air-conditioning hit him the moment he entered and he was thankful that his grandmother had insisted on a jacket. The nurse-aid at the front desk looked frazzled but smoothly directed her current customers to the waiting room and told them that as soon as the doctors were done, they would be out to speak with them.

 

Her blue eyes widened as she saw Henry approaching with a trailing Snow and she tilted her chin.

 

“Where’s my Mum? Can we see her?”

 

He was the son of the Mayor, the former Evil Queen, and of the Sheriff and Saviour turned Dark One, she knew exactly who he was.

 

“If you wait in the waiting room I’ll have the doctor speak with you as soon as-“

 

“No!” Henry burst out. “I want to see her now!”

 

“Henry. Please calm down,” Snow said as clutched the sleeping baby to her and lowered her baby bag to the polished floor.

 

Henry spun to her betrayed, and she shook her head at him. “We have to wait like everyone else. Come on, let’s get a seat.” She shared a look with the receptionist before readjusting Neal and made to pick up her baby bag. Henry swooped down and grabbed it before she could and she smiled gratefully at him as she straightened and led the way to the waiting area. There were a few families here already.

 

Snow settled herself and Neal on the stiff and hard chairs and patted the seat next to her for Henry to sit. Reluctantly he flopped down onto it and examined the flooring before looking at the various broachers and pamphlets promoting health that were dotted along the walls.

 

When that bored him he focused on the other people in the room. Some of them were covered in soot and had patches burnt from their clothing and Henry realised that they must have come from the fire. Other people were still in their pyjamas with jackets thrown over top. He couldn’t fight his smile at seeing a woman’s bunny slippers. She caught his gaze and smiled back at him before nodding to the man next to her. He was big a burly and had been staring blankly at the floor with his head in his hands.

 

At the disturbance he lifted his eyes to her and she tilted her head in Henry’s direction. When he saw the boy his eyes widened and he glanced to Snow and back to Henry.

 

“You here for the Mayor?” He asked and tilted his head to the side.

 

Henry nodded eagerly. “Do you know what happened to my Mum?” Snow looked from Neal’s peaceful face over to the man and recognition flashed across her features.

 

“Sorry, Son,” he rumbled and shook his head. “I didn’t see the Queen after she got there.”

 

“Gary,” the man’s eyes rose to meet Snow’s and he inclined his head in respect. “How did you know we were here for Regina?”

 

The man straightened in his seat and let his legs stretch out. “Charming’s out organising people, saw him before I came and he hasn’t been brought in,” he shrugged. “Only person I figure you’d both be here for, at,” he glanced down to his chunky wrist where a watch clicked away, “four thirty eight, would be the Mayor.”

 

Henry fell back in his seat disgruntled.

 

“She saved a lot of lives today, Son,” Gary told the teen. “We wouldn’t have been able to contain the fire if she hadn’t helped-heck,” he chuckled, “she did most of the heavy lifting. And the Merry Men wouldn’t have made it out if she hadn’t gone in and got them.”

 

Henry clearly took comfort from what Gary had said and he nodded and rested his head against the wall.

 

“Thank you,” Snow said softly and Gary nodded before leaning back and closing his eyes.

 

It was almost seven o-clock by the time a doctor approached Henry and Snow. David had briefly checked in but was co-ordinating the volunteers and helping to organise the citizens with supplies and support to where it was needed.

 

Whale looked tired, as though he had actually worked for his title today, and he was clutching a clipboard in one hand and a steaming cup of coffee on the other.

 

Henry had been dozing against his grandmother’s shoulder and she nudged him awake as the Dr. halted before them.

 

“Normally I wouldn’t be able to share Mayor Mills’ medical information with you, but as her Healthcare Power of Attorney has authorised it, I am legally permitted to do so.” Whale looked as though he had swallowed a lemon and ran his eyes over the clipboard. He then explained Regina’s injuries and the treatments they were giving her.

 

Most of what he explained was medical mumbo-jumbo but Snow and Henry were able to understand that Regina suffered major burns and sever smoke inhalation and was at risk of infection. She was currently in a coma, a magical coma, while her body healed, so the hospital would focus on healing her body and letting someone qualified deal with her magic. Whale also mentioned that he had requested an audience with the Fairies with regards to Regina’s Magical health but that the Power of Attorney had denied the request, saying that they would sort it out.

 

The box at Whale’s belt began to beep and he tiredly shuffled his clipboard under his opposite arm as he checked the pager. He sighed upon reading the message and then looked at Snow and Henry. “Providing she is still stable in,” he checked the clock on the wall, “an hour and a half you can visit her. Just check in with the nurse on duty.” He nodded to them both and spun around.

 

“Wait, who’s her Health Power of Attorney, she doesn’t have any family.” Snow asked curiously and at Henry’s expression she amended, “Apart from us.”

 

“The same person who brought her in,” Whale called over his shoulder as he walked away.

 

“And who was that?” Henry demanded, a furrow to his brow.

 

“Emma Swan.”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The scent of smoke still clung to the air and with a frustrated wave of her hand the Dark One summoned a bunch of sweat peas while removing the smell that lingered amongst the sterility.

 

The steady heartbeat of the Mayor resounded in the small dark room and the Dark One lowered herself onto the visitor chair, confident that they wouldn’t be disturbed this late at night.

 

Regina looked small in the hospital bed, covered with bandages and gauze and with cords and tubes connecting her to machines and pouches. It was such a stark contrast to her normal, vibrant self that Emma took a moment to allow herself regret over her earlier actions and what they had cost the brunette. Her health. Her magic. Robin.

 

It wasn’t entirely her own fault, though, she considered as she leant back in her chair and drew comfort from the steady thud of Regina’s heart.

 

Jeremy Sanders really shouldn’t have suggested she get rid of Robin. Well, he had said remove him from the picture, which probably just meant getting him out of Regina’s life, but eh. Potato tomato, or whatever the saying was. The Darkness in her had immediately relished the idea, voices whispering and cooing, telling her how much better off Regina would be without the forest hobo in her life, not that he currently was, but that wasn’t the point. The lion tattoo was proof of a connection, a connection that couldn’t be allowed to remain.

 

Regina was theirs-Hers, the Darkness cooed. Robin had to go. But it had to look natural, the voices whispered, quieting her protests. _Have lightning strike a tree in the woods_ , cooed one of the voices. It sounded like one of her old foster “mum’s”, the ones who smiled at you in front of the social worker before tossing you into a corner and telling you “to keep your mouth shut if you know what’s good for ya” as soon as they were gone. _Light several trees,_ said the other, it might have been one of the creepy uncle’s from her seventh “family”.

 

In the end it wasn’t of consequence. She had summoned a bolt of lightning as though she were King of Olympus and had lit the trees on fire, the voices subsiding as she unleashed her Darkness on the unsuspecting Merry Men. If they got caught between her and her prey, well, it would look more like an accident, wouldn’t it? This time it was Lily’s voice, man had she jumped the moment she had heard her in her head.

 

After she had made the decision to play god all reason was lost. She knew she probably shouldn’t be doing any of this, should try and get as far away from Robin as possible as her desire to murder him manifested and grew, but it was background noise. It was an out of body experience, being the Dark One. Mostly she just was, just drifting along the waves of life and then wham! She had started a forest fire that was hungrily devouring much of the forest without really remembering how it had happened. Maybe this was what bipolar people felt like. She wouldn’t know, she didn’t think being the Dark One counted, but then again there weren’t many people who were the Dark One, Rumple was still in a coma, she was certain of that, she had checked.

 

Was it a possession? She wondered as she watched the flames burn brighter and higher and crack and spit, turning from and angry kitten to a pride of lions. Lioness’, she decided, much more macho. Lions were weak. Ginny Weasley seemed to have a similar experience with You-know-who…

 

It was like seeing a chocolate bar and thinking, I need that chocolate bar and then wondering where the chocolate went before realising that you already ate it, and then wanting more. Yes, she decided as she teleported away to the Lookout to watch her judgement play out, it was brief wants and desires and thoughts magnified to an obsessive scale.

 

Entertained she had watched as the fire grew and spread, and watched as the firefighters arrived only to scratch their heads and stare at the fire aghast. She had cast a magical portal thing, she didn’t care for the name, that made the base camp, or anyone she focused on, show up in the air in front of her like a screen. She could see and hear them as though they were in front of her. Then Regina had shown up and she felt the maniacal grin fade from her lips. She could get hurt. She should go to her, whisk her way. But then she would know it was her….. and she wouldn’t want to talk to her…. She could put out the fires but then Robin would still be around, and her dad would see her… but Regina would be proud… but then she would wonder why she was in the forest and then she would realise…

 

That was the other end of the desires and thoughts, her insecurities skyrocketed. The littlest doubt and fear would turn from well, turn from a spark to the inferno down below, and she would be helpless beneath the onslaught and the voices didn’t help, they just wanted pain. Suffering. But, it was freedom. For her anyway. The Dark magic coated her fingertips and rolled through her veins whispering, coaxing, and soothing. She could see why Regina had done the things she had as Evil Queen. It was intoxicating. A high that only grew and one she _never_ had to come down from. The voices left her at peace when she was using it.

 

She watched as Regina held out her palm and halted the fire, the magic within her rising and calling for the magic being used below. She shivered. The Queen moved from the base all the way to the stream, tearing the trees from their roots on her left and tossing them back into the forest, and urging the flame lit branches to join together and try to form a barrier. The Dark One in her admired the magic and the skill in which it was being wielded while Emma shifted nervously as she felt the Mayor’s mighty resources continue to drain, and the smoke curling above her head.

 

Emma grew unsettled as the fire grew a conscious of its own and outgrew the parameters she had set and the Darkness rejoiced at the frantic moving’s of the citizens. She nearly teleported to Regina when she saw her leave and only the loudest of voices made her settle again. Then Merry Men started to appear at the base.

 

She was pacing back and forth when Regina didn’t return, and her being was vibrating with energy, needing to see Regina. The voices were howling now, telling her she was so close to getting what she wanted, to having Robin out of the picture. They started to coo, to whisper and to caress as they said Regina would be hers now, no smelly thief in the picture, and she could make Regina happy. Her, Henry and her Regina. Wasn’t that what she wanted? Yes, she told them. But she didn’t want Regina hurt, never wanted Regina hurt. The thought of it made her insides clench and the Darkness rose unbidden to her hands with a roar of fury at the perceived notion.

 

In the end it was the girl who had first broken her heart who had convinced Emma to get to Regina. Lily had commented how Robin would be suffering for not choosing Regina, for not putting her first when he had the chance- all of the voices agreed he was a Grade A Asshole for the entire business with Zelena-not-Marian- because burning alive sucked. How scared he would be as the world around him went up in flames and smoke burned at his lungs and tore at the sensitive flesh of his face, nose and mouth? And how his skin would sear and turn numb as it burned, how he would scream as his voice cracked and bled until he could no longer and he would rest in a bed of embers.

 

It was then that she realised that that was where Regina was. Roland gave a cry for “Gina” and Emma was gone in a flash of smoke so dark it could rival the breath of the fire.

 

She appeared like a figure of hell, shrouded in black and cloaked by fire, in the centre of the Merry Men camp, trusting in her magic to take her straight to Regina. Robin was hovering over her unconscious form and fury, white and burning stronger than the fire around her tore through Emma. With a flick of her wrist he was ripped from Regina and thrown against a burning tree as she stalked forward. He hit the tree and then the ground with a thud concealed by his howl of pain. Maybe she had used too much strength. But, countered the voices in unison, he was the reason Regina was out here hurt. She hadn’t used enough force.

 

An inhuman snarl rumbled from her chest at Robin as she crouched over an unresponsive Regina and she snapped. She prowled towards the petty thief and picked him up and threw him against one of the flaming trees.

 

His face was scrunched in confusion, his permanent expression of bemusement and constipation, Lily helpfully explained, and he gasped in pain and surprise.

 

“Emma?!”

 

She got closer to him, ignoring the flames that began to lap at her skin as she cast a shielding spell over herself.

 

“Robin Hood,” she drawled, eyes glinting with malice.

 

“I’ve come to tell you that her Majesty is no longer on the market” she snarled and pressed him harder against the tree and he was flinching away from the flames as his clothes caught on fire. “I just wanted you to know.”

 

“What?! Get us out of here! She’s injured!”

 

She took a moment to appreciate the guy for a moment, even near death he was concerned with Regina’s health. But, he was the reason she was here in the first place and her increased high esteem of him plummeted back to zero and below.

 

“She is mine,” she informed him as she lent closer, baring her teeth in warning. “You will never have her again. She. Is. Mine!”

 

With that she flicked her fingers and his neck took a sudden turn and she released him. Hm, she wondered as she walked away, that was harder than film and t.v. would have her believe.

 

The Darkness in her purred as she made her way back to Regina, and she decided that now its duty had been fulfilled she no longer needed it, and pointed at the star speckled sky through the smoke and flaming canopy.

 

The skies groaned and roared as clouds tossed themselves at each other and the heavens grew dark again, heavy with rain. It was starting to bucket down when Emma drew Regina into her arms, relishing the moment, and vanished with her in a tornado of grey smoke.

 

She re-emerged in the centre of the hospital entrance and quickly straightened. For a moment all eyes were on her and it would have been comedic if she weren’t concerned for the health of the woman lying limp in her arms.

 

“Get me a doctor,” she ordered to the startled receptionist. When she remained frozen in shock the Dark One drew herself up. “Now!” She thundered and her demand echoed throughout the hospital and rattled the windows. She jumped and then under the Dark One’s glinting eyes picked up a phone and spoke hurriedly into it, casting glances over to the Saviour turned Dark One.

 

It took a few minutes but Dr. Whale came running, his white Dr. coat flapping behind him, and he was flanked by two nurses and a third pushing a hospital bed. He visibly reacted when he saw both who it was who had made the hospital shake and his patient.

 

He barked out orders as Emma gently lowered the Mayor onto the bed. She stalked after the hospital staff, ignoring the hospital security as they approached and then shied away from her gaze.

 

The last she spoke before Whale took Regina into a private emergency room was, “She dies, you die.” Then she had waited, statue like as the doctor and his nurses worked on her friend, and made no further comment until Whale, the fool, tried to insist that Regina should be left alone and that Emma had no legal right to remain. She had merely raised a brow and told him to check his paperwork before brushing past him to stand vigil over the Mayor. No one else had bothered her and Regina until she had heard Henry and Snow approaching. Her desire to avoid a confrontation, and to have her pure son see her for what she was overrode her desire to remain with Regina and she vanished before they arrived.

 

Being away from Regina when she was so vulnerable made her antsy and paced furiously inside her guest room, casting frequent glances to her mirror which was set to show Regina’s hospital room. Henry and Snow had remained for most of the day, even David and Ruby had popped in to report and to check in on Regina and Henry and Snow.

 

By the time visiting hours were over she was anxious, eager to return to Regina. The voices were getting loud again, as though their hunger had been satisfied by her earlier fire and Robin’s murder- well deserved and justified homicide, Foster Father Eight had cooed- but were now ravenous and if she looked within herself she was scared of what she might be convinced into doing. Her return to Regina had spooked the nurse who was checking on her, and she had fled to Emma’s satisfaction. Regina was hers. So now here she was, watching over Regina and drawing comfort from the steady strum of her heart.

 

Driven by a need to ensure that Regina was as comfortable as possible Emma had summoned a few personal items from the Mayor’s bedroom and had placed them around the room. Regina’s bedside clock sat in front of the vase of flowers and it glowed nine forty into the semi-dark room.

 

The song she would sing tonight needed no thought, especially considering the situation she was currently in. It was curious. Before Regina lay in this hospital bed her tunnel vision had been about her; winning her, having her. Now, though, the desire had taken a backseat to her need to have her healthy, to protect her. She still wanted her, she didn’t think that she would never not want her, and wanted her so much she thought that surely she would die without being in her presence; hearing her voice, feeling her touch, tasting her skin…. Skin that loomed tantalisingly close, lips swollen and red…

 

Nope!

 

Emma threw herself backwards and into her visitor chair. She would _not_ touch the brunette without her permission, she could not. Her internal companions grated their teeth at her refusal to touch, to take what she wanted. They didn’t understand. She wanted her, so take her. And Emma had wanted to, had been overcome with desire roaring in her ears and ponding through her veins until it was all she could hear, could see, could think. But it was Regina. Her Regina. And she couldn’t do that, not while she was hurt, and certainly not for selfish reasons.

 

To calm the voices she had told them that she would hunt her instead, and in moments where they were loudest she told them that that was what she was doing. They liked the idea of hunting; of the stalking, the chase, the capture and the consuming, but the Saviour still lingered in the Dark One and she knew that was wrong, felt sick with the thought of hunting Regina.

 

With her descent into Darkness every thought and action now took on a darker edge. Her desire to protect her family had turned to violent urges, anyone who posed a threat to them had to be destroyed, and anyone who ever hurt them should bleed. She had always thought that the greater good was an excuse given to victims by the victors to hide the fact that they had lost something while those in power had gotten away scot free, but she was the power now, and no one would make a victim of her or her family.

 

The voices were silent when she thought about Henry and Regina, only making themselves known when either of the two were in danger, or could be in danger, or needed protecting. Sometimes they spoke when she thought of Snow and Charming, telling her how quickly they gave up on looking for her, how they replaced her with a new baby, how she was merely a title for them to use to save themselves. She thought about it often, drawing every mutinous though she had ever had about her birthparents and examining them with detail and with Darkness whispering in her ear.

 

Curiously even though Regina had been the reason she had been sent away as a baby, and for her becoming the Dark One, she couldn’t bring herself to hate the fiery Mayor. It was after examining one of her fantasy’s- the Dark One fantasised about what she desired more than anything else in dreamlike visions that felt real. Most involved Darkness; death, destruction, the torture of souls, but others were of what she wanted to do to other people. Mostly she wanted them to hurt, and the Darkness had cooed victorious with her in these visions.

 

Her first vision about Regina had brought her existence to a screeching and her mind and body had almost shut down with the following realisation. It had been of her and Regina. They were in Regina’s bedroom lying together comfortably on her bed as though they had done it a thousand times. They were kissing-nothing explicit, kind of chaste really and the Darkness had scoffed and said it was very vanilla and tried to turn her away, but Emma had been wonderstruck. She had pulled away from the Darkness in a moment of strength and had urged the fantasy onward and had felt her heart stop, and then stampede when Regina cuddled closer to dream Emma and had sighed, completely at peace. Fantasy Emma had lowered her head to kiss her hair and had murmured three world stopping words into the silky strands. “I love you.”

 

Oh.

 

The rock in her chest where her heart should be shuddered and cracked, fissures racing along it and releasing bright white light.

 

_Oh_.

 

It expanded throughout her chest and rippled through her body, a wave of light; bright and warm, forcing the shadows back.

 

_Regina._

 

Like a video montage she was privy to the entirety of her actions with Regina from the moment she stood uncertain and eager on the Mayor’s doorstep to sacrificing herself without thought into the Darkness.

 

Everything was silent, even the voices and they hadn’t been silent since her name had appeared on the Dagger, and there were shadows around her. Her heart was beating overtime as though to make up for the paralysis over her thoughts and body and with every pulse waves of colour, like the Northern Light’s, flared and flashed across her soul, firing like pistons and sparking like fireworks.

 

She loved…Regina?

 

It seemed becoming the Dark One showed her what she had been missing when she was the Saviour. She, Emma Swan, was in love with Regina Mills. Acceptance washed through her and left behind it sweeping joy. For the first time in weeks -or could it have been years? Time alone in the Darkness seemed endless- she found herself again. Fractured, jaded and with many scars, but still her. It was then that a plan had begun to form.

 

Emma Swan the Saviour was bound by ideals and the pedestal the town, her parents and son placed her upon, she would never be able to pursue the Queen. But… But the Dark One had no such restraints. She was the most powerful practitioner of magic ever. Period. No one would dare get in her way… and she didn’t have the fear of letting everyone down by choosing Regina, she was free.

 

But how did one court a Queen? She couldn’t just go up to her and say, “Hey Regina, I just realised that I, the Saviour turned Dark One, am in love with you. Leave the forest bum and be mine...” Yeah, no. Regina was still looking for her, she knew because she got flashes of the people she cared about and the last she had had of Regina was of the Mayor bent over a book. So no, she couldn’t do anything as herself. That would just draw unwanted attention, and attention was never a good thing, years of being the “orphan girl” had made certain of that. So, what could she do? The thought consumed her now, she had to have her.

 

Her internal unwelcome guests remained silent on the matter, so she had turned to the internet. Left with her lip curling in disgust at some of the ideas she had been listening aimlessly to the radio when it had abruptly captured her attention. Some guy was asking his girl to marry him on air, it was so cliché, but… what if she wrote in and told her, her feelings? No, lame. Or she could ring up and talk to…nope, double lame.

 

Her thoughts were scattered and it was the lyrics of the song that finally gave her, her brilliant idea.

 

“ _Say you love me then put it in a love song.”_ Huh. Way to go Alicia Key’s, who knew?

 

She had spent the next few days feverishly scrolling the internet for the perfect collection of songs. Then she had put them in order so that she could build up to the grand reveal. She would send them to Regina. Visions of the brunettes surprise and then pleasure flashed behind her lids, followed by her throwing herself into her arms. Yup, a good idea she had decided. Then she had realised that Regina wasn’t listening to the radio, let alone any music an unknown person was sending her.

 

Well, shit. Stumped she had thrown her laptop across the room and then slumped in her chair.

 

_You could do it in public?_ Lily had cautiously suggested, a curious addition from the silent peanut gallery in her mind, but she had a point. Do it in public and then, as Mayor, Regina would be forced to investigate and then she would reveal herself.

 

Nodding she summoned her laptop again and a bear claw, chewing happily as she reopened her word document and continued with her list. If her love letter was to be through song, then it was to be the perfect collection of love songs. Ever.

 

Of course, there had been several hiccups on the journey to Regina’s heart. Her temper had been one, sometimes Regina made her _so_ mad, and the little incident where she set the forest on fire and nearly killed her, but that was in the past. Tonight’s song was going to be Aerosmith’s classic _I don’t wanna miss a thing_. She loved this song. Unfortunately, even if the Mayor was listening to the radio now days- she was reading the paper again, which had a play-by-play of her exploits as Romeo so she would get interested enough to listen soon- she was currently in a magical coma in the hospital. But, Emma thought as she looked over at the Queen, she had the perfect opportunity now. She could sing to her in person and she’d never know.

 

It was approaching ten o’clock so she summoned her new cell phone-she hadn’t wanted anyone to call her back and hear her answering machine- and dialled the station.

 

Jeremy was playing a song as she waited and she mentally prepared herself for the song, ready to play the music through her phones iTunes.

 

“ _Hey Romeo, how are ya?”_ Jeremy asked off air. He sounded tired and didn’t have his usual high energy.

 

“ **Good** ,” Emma replied looking over to the bed where Regina was sleeping-not in a coma, sleeping. If she thought of her any other way fire roared through her veins and the voices started screaming again.

 

“ **I’m good,”** a smile crept into her voice and she could hear Jeremy’s silence on the other end of the line.

 

“ _That’s good,”_ Sanders said carefully and she could hear a distinct thrill of excitement creeping into his voice. “ _Right_ ,” he cleared his throat. “ _We go on air in five, four…”_ He started his count down and then his revived voice crashed over the airways.

 

“ _It’s ten o’clock! And that means we have a special guest performance! Take it away Ro- er, take it away!”_

 

The voices were cooing their suspicions but she ignored them for the moment as it was her time in the metaphorical spotlight. Her eyes roamed over the Mayor and she poured her emotions out through the song. It was fitting. The song for the situation she was currently in. Maybe subconsciously Regina could hear her? It didn’t matter, not really. In a way she was doing this for the Mayor, but it was mostly for herself, a way to express how she was feeling when she didn’t have the words to speak.

 

She finished the song and then sat staring at Regina’s face, internally pleading with her to wake up.

 

Sanders had been unusually quiet and then his next words betrayed why.

 

“ _Romeo_ ……” he hedged. “ _Are you a girl_?”

 

Paralysis gripped her with icy teeth and she fumbled with her phone before she managed to hang up.

 

Shit. How did he know? The answer presented itself. She had forgotten to disguise her voice. Double shit.

 

The static ripped through the airwaves and crackled on the radio and she stared at it aghast as Jeremy cleared his throat.

 

“ _I’ll take that as a yes_ …” Sanders’ sigh was audible. “ _Look Romeo- I’m still calling you Romeo- it’s the 21 st Century. If you love this girl, tell her how you feel! We are a bunch of fairy-tale characters, who you love is the least of our towns concerns. Ring me back, yeah_?”

 

In his mother’s room in the Charming Loft Henry Mills obediently turned the radio off and let silence join the darkness surrounding him. Something about Romeo’s voice bothered him. It sounded familiar but he shrugged it off as he fluffed up his pillow. His Mum had instructed him that he was allowed to listen to _Jammin’ with Jeremy_ , only the first part of it, to listen to Romeo serenade Juliette but then he had to go to sleep.

 

It though of her fondly as he snuggled into his covers and hoped she wasn’t too lonely up in the hospital with only the sound of her heart beat to keep her company. He’d go and see her tomorrow. They had the Friday off because of the fire and ash and the deaths, and then it was the weekend, so he had three days with her. His Grandfather had gotten home late that evening, covered in soot and ash and with blistered and dry skin. He and Snow had embraced for a long while before David ruffled Henry’s hair and kissed his son before having a shower and then collapsing on his bed exhausted.

 

While Snow and Henry had remained at the hospital with Regina, eye-witness accounts and reports flew around the town. They learned that there had been three deaths, including Robin’s, and that two people were in critical conditions in the hospital, not including Regina, and that others had severe debilitation injuries due to fire and smoke. David, Ruby, and Tod had implemented town plans which were set out in extensive detail over the steps that the Mayor’s Office had required if an event like this happened. Medical supplies were delivered and distributed; people were billeted to the school’s gym and to the other halls if their property was damaged or evacuated until official statements allowed their return; and about a hundred other things that Regina- for Mayor’s Office meant Regina- had planned for and given instructions for. Clean up crews were already clearing much of the ash and smoke from rooftops and a schedule was being written over who’s houses would be examined and then given the all clear.

 

Henry and Snow had passed along all of the information they had learned to the comatose Mayor and tomorrow Henry would tell Regina about Romeo being a woman. It would be a bit of light and fluffy information, when all she was hearing was how desperately they wanted her to wake up, or the reports coming in from across the town. Maybe they could speculate on who Romeo was? It would be a way to pass the time.

 

Hoping his mother would be awake come morning Henry closed his eyes and settled into sleep. It was as sleeps tendrils wove around him that he bolted up in bed, startled to alertness as though he had been doused in cold water. He knew that voice, knew Romeo.

 

No way! His mental voice gave a childish squeal. Emma was… Romeo?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the reads, Kudos, and of course the lovely reviews, they truly give authors warm fuzzies :D Keep them coming, I'm greedy like that ;)  
> My apologies for the death of Robin, though my understanding is that he dies in Canon as well (I haven't seen season 5 yet). Still, OQ, Robin, and certainly Regina deserved better.  
> Any comments or criticism is welcome.
> 
> And I probably should mention I am a queen of procrastination; this fic is procrastination of another fic and I find I tend to write more in my head than in Word. Expect updates when you least expect them.


	3. Part Three

PART THREE

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Life goes on. It’s one of those cliché sayings that seemed to have sprung up from nowhere that everyone knows and understands. What it really is, Regina decided with venom, is an excuse made by the victors to remind the victims that they are alive and should be thankful for it, and not focus on the lack of loss they, themselves as victors, have. She should hunt down the imbecile who first coined the phrase and introduce him-let’s face it, it was probably a man- to one of her fireballs, maybe even two. 

It was a dull and cold Tuesday afternoon. Rain from the morning clung to the grass and darkened the skies, shrouding the sun. The weather represented her mood perfectly, tears that had fallen, and tears that were yet to fall. A breeze teased her hair, running fingers through the silky strands and letting them flutter back into place. 

Dr. Hopper was leading the ceremony and she forced herself to listen. She could at least spare Robin, Little John, Scott, and George Oak’s the respect they deserved. Archie was talking about loss, family and hope in the way that celebrants did and instead of finding comfort Regina felt ire rise and flood her body and her thoughts turned mutinous. Archie still had Pongo. What had he lost? Geppetto and his wooden son-turned-real-boy were still alive. So what right did the Dr. have to be parroting on about how their love lives on in us, and how to honour their memory we ought to live to make them proud. A soft snuffle to her side made her realise she was subconsciously clenching her fingers and she made an effort to loosen her grip on Roland’s hand. 

The cherub boy looked so cute in a little black suit but his eyes were red and he was wiping his nose on his sleeve and she mentally winced but shook off her disapproval. Her body ached, even with the copious amounts of morphine Whale had administered and she shifted in her seat in discomfort. She was in a wheel chair, Whale had refused to allow her out of the hospital even for a funeral without one, and she was too weak to refuse, and her glare hadn’t worked so she had grudgingly allowed Charming to wheel her through the hospital, to the truck, and then across the grass to where the four coffins rested. 

Henry was on her other side, standing, hovering really, next to her in case she needed him and she felt her early ire fade as she realised that death did bring people together and showed the power of love and family. She absently lifted her left hand and he instinctively grabbed it in comfort and she glanced up at him in thanks, raising it to her lips and kissing it before resting her elbow on the chair rest so that he didn’t have to lean down. 

Snow and Charming stood behind her, a gesture of unspoken support and she felt the warmth in her grow, soothing the jagged edges of pain and cooling her fury. 

She hadn’t been able to save everyone, and the failure sat low, thick and heavy in her belly. Little John had remained with Robin to organise the Merry Men, and then to help him search for Roland when the boy had returned for his monkey. Scott was one of the Merry Men who she had teleported out of the forest first, he had died in hospital from his injuries a few hours after she was admitted. The same was for George, he had tried to drag some of his friends to safety and had been smothered by the flaming fabric of a tent. The group of remaining Merry Men had suffered burns and various smoke inhalation symptoms. They had suffered the worst losses, mainly because the fire had surrounded them, and because they didn’t have the resources the rest of the town did, they didn’t have face masks, or long sleeve- fire resistant clothes and gloves. 

Archie had finished up and the Merry Men were moving forward to say their goodbyes and Regina released Henry and Roland’s hands in an attempt to wheel herself closer. Henry grabbed at the handles of the wheel chair and tried to push her forward. The ground was waterlogged, thick with it and he struggled to get her moving. She sensed the magic and glanced around for the absentee Dark One as Henry gained momentum and look her closer to the coffins, Roland scurrying along beside them. She took his hand again as he started to cry and caught a glimpse of a figure far down the cemetery leaning against a tree. 

The time for crying as violent and as severe as a storm had passed. The young boy had been quick to understand and accept what had happened to his father, death was something the children of their realm grew up with, now he just cried silently. There were flowers in a basket near the coffin and she took one, passing it along to Roland and gesturing for him to place it on his father’s coffin and say farewell. Henry verbalised what she could not. 

He was quiet and soft as he said, “Goodbye Papa,” and placed the rose on the coffin and wiped his eyes with the same sleeve he had been wiping his nose. Regina thought briefly of the handkerchief she had passed to him earlier, but didn’t want to distress him further. Regina took her own flower and ran her fingers absently along the stem the best she could with the bandages over her skin.

 “Let’s go say goodbye to the others,” Henry took Roland’s hand and walked with him to the next coffin, leaving Regina some privacy. Roland went quietly, eager to be away from the box that held his father.

 Regina felt a tickling in her throat, it had been persistent since she had learned of Robin’s death and all morning, especially when she had arrived at the cemetery and seen the line of coffins. Clearing her throat her mouth moved but words caught and were dragged back into her body before they could fall from her lips. 

Closing her eyes she instead spoke inside her head, forming the words clearly and imagining them being written in her script across paper. It took her a while, and her words and thoughts were scattered, but she was certain she had gotten her message across.

 

Robin.

 

I’m so, sorry I couldn’t save you.

 

I’ll, I’ll take care of Roland. I promise.

 

He’ll be safe. I swear.

 

Thank you for loving me.

 

I’m sorry.

 

I’m sorry it didn’t work out between us.

 

Thank you for teaching me, showing me that I can be loved, that I am worthy of it again.

 

I love you.

 

 

 

With that she pressed her lips to the rose and then let it fall gently onto the polished wood. Charming was at her back and lowered his own rose, “We’ll watch over Roland,” and taking her wheel chair handles. He silently wheeled her past the other three coffins, leaving his own rose along with hers. Then he guided her back to the truck, muscles straining as he struggled to push her across the grass without getting the wheels stuck.

 The scent of magic was a little stronger this time and abruptly David found his journey easier. 

“Regina,” he scolded. “I thought you needed to rest your magic.” 

Dark eyes were focused across the cemetery and he followed her gaze and gasped, knowing instinctively who the figure in black leaning against a tree was. 

“Emma?” Fell from his lips and as though she had heard him her gaze lifted slightly from where it had been on Regina and to his, then she was gone. 

“Was that Emma?” He asked out-loud and then looked around to see if anyone else had seen her. 

Regina gave a noncommittal hum and then regretted it as her throat cracked and ached. 

“Didn’t you see her? You were looking at her!” 

“If she wanted to talk to you, David, she would have. Leave her be,” Regina said rasped and couldn’t hide her yawn. She knew David caught it and he hesitated, torn between his daughter and the woman both Snow and Whale had intrusted to his care- Whale had only allowed Regina out of the hospital for little over an hour, with the instructions that she was to return immediately after. Emma, as Power of Attorney (the paper work had magically appeared) had allowed her release from the hospital, having known and heard of how the Mayor worked herself into a frenzy when Whale had forbidden her from leaving the hospital after she had woken up earlier in the morning. He still was unhappy about it, but Regina had signed a release form making her not the hospital legally responsible for her health, and he had no choice but to allow it. 

Staring longingly over at the tree his daughter had been at he took the wheel chair handles and then continued pushing her over to the truck. He helped her into the passenger seat and folded the wheelchair and lifted it into the rear tray. Snow was with Henry, Roland, and Neal and he caught her gaze as he opened the driver door. 

Regina was already dozing against the door, resting her head awkwardly against the seatbelt. 

Snow nodded to show that she understood he had Regina, and David drove Regina back to the hospital. She was limp and unresponsive when he tried to rouse her and he felt fear drag its fingers down his spine. 

“Regina!” He shook her as gently as possible but her body had the strength of a cooked noddle and her head merely rolled to the side. 

He dragged her from the truck and left the door open as he ran towards the hospital, Regina’s limbs flopping aimlessly. 

His arrival was met with an irate doctor with a group of nurses and a hospital bed. Ignoring his bemusement he lowered Regina gently onto the hospital bed and stood back as they immediately began to move her off down the hallway, speaking confidently of the items they had already prepped back in Regina’s room. 

He was unable to follow them further into the hospital and ended up standing in the middle of the hallway blinking in confusion as to what had just happened. Slightly lost, he turned and walked back towards the entrance and was halted by the receptionist. 

She finished with her call as he hovered by her desk but didn’t lower the telephone. The waiting area was desolate and after checking left and right she looked directly at her computer screen and began to speak through her teeth, moving as little of her lips as possible. 

“Amy Maddox has been lonely lately,” she said as she purposely avoided looking at David. “I understand she and your wife used to be close. Maybe you would like to pay her a visit.” She lowered the phone and turned her full attention on David, flashing a false smile. She spoke in voice that anyone who had ever worked retail or customer service would know. “I’m sorry but Miss Mills is no longer receiving visitors today. Provided her doctor permits it, she should be permitted visitors tomorrow. Visiting hours are eighty thirty until twelve thirty and two until five Monday to Friday, and ten until six on Saturday and Sunday. Have a lovely day!” She flashed him another false smile and leant forward to answer the ringing phone. “Storybrooke Hospital! You’re speaking with Aly.” 

David hesitated for a moment and then resumed his journey to the car, vaguely registering the receptionist discussing the same visitor hours she had just rattled off to him. Her face was familiar but he couldn’t place it, and he certainly didn’t recognise the name Amy Maddox. Maybe Snow would know?

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“If you’re going to sit there all night, you may as well talk to me.” 

Emma blinked from where she had been staring at a spot on the blank walls and glanced over to Regina so quickly she feared she might have gotten whiplash. 

“Regina!” She was on her feet and hovering next to the bed before she even registered what the Mayor had said. “You’re awake!” 

“Yes,” she drawled and closed her eyes as her chest jerked and a cough tore its way up her throat. The Dark One snatched at the water on the bedside table and offered it to Regina, almost as though she were handling something she didn’t want and wanted to pass it off to the next person as quickly as possible. Regina swallowed painfully and leant up to take the cup from her, glaring at the blonde as she tried to hold it away from her. She couldn’t help her sheepish smile as the Mayor’s mouth captured the straw and she welcomed the water to soothe her throat. The heart monitor beeped as Regina’s movement increased and she spared a brief thought for how annoying the sound was before deciding that the beeping meant Regina were alive and that was what she wanted. 

“What day is it?” She asked as she moved across to place the cup on the table and Emma helpfully pulled it closer to the bed. 

“Thursday, no wait.” Emma glanced over at the clock. “Early Friday morning.” sged Regina settled back into the bed and looked tiredly at Emma.

“I imagine that I have you to thank for my early awakening?” A perfect eyebrow arched in question and in the dim light of the room Emma’s smile was bright.as she gave a short nod. Regina sighed and closed her eyes and Emma’s eyes flashed.

 hank you,” the Mayor breathed and Emma smiled again. For a few minutes the only sound was the steady beep, beep, beep of Regina’s heart connected to the heart monitor. The Mayor was looking better. How could she not when Emma had almost exhausted her magic in channelling it into her? It was what had brought her out of her magical coma in time to go to Robin’s funeral but her Saviour Dark One magic wasn’t enough to completely heal the Mayor as she had used some of her life force in saving Roland, and restoring that wasn’t as easy as giving her a magical boost. 

On her return to the hospital Regina had been in and out of consciousness, mostly to allow her body to repair itself. Her own magic was slowly and surely soothing the tears in her soul and would soon start to heal her body, if Emma’s magic didn’t get there first. Emma had hovered every night, and during the day she had forbidden visitors, much to the rest of the family’s disgust. Snow had left several tear filled voice mails on her cell, and Henry had sent her a bunch of text messages which she hadn’t read because then she would give in and let them visit and then Regina wouldn’t be able to heal as quickly. At least, that was what she told herself when she denied them access to the injured Mayor. Mostly she wanted, needed, time with Regina to herself. 

“How are you feeling?” Emma asked as she hesitantly returned to her chair and kept her eyes on Regina. 

“Peachy,” Regain replied with her eyes shut after shifting about a bit. “In fact, I’m feeling so wonderful I just might have to have another shot of morphine.” One of her eyes flickered open and she fixed Emma with an imperious look, through her obvious pain. “If only there were someone who could reach it.” 

Smiling Emma stood and moved close to the bed and gave the brunette the pain killer she needed. It was as close as she would get to the former Queen asking for help and she felt a flare of warmth in her chest at being what Regina needed at that moment. 

“Where’s Henry?” She asked and forced her eyes open. “Roland?” 

Emma settled back in the chair and instead of feeling ire at her thought for her now deceased competitions spawn, she felt a flicker of heat at how caring and kind the woman before her was, ignoring Lily’s haughty scoff. _She raised Henry,_ Emma protested to her audience. H _e wasn’t hers, but she is his mum._ The voices fell silent again and Emma answered the question, feeling slight concern radiating from the Mayor at the time it took her to reply. 

“He’s with Snow and David. They have been getting him to and from school and feeding him. Roland is with them as well. They didn’t know what to do with him after Robin-“ 

She cut off abruptly as the memory of the forest dweller’s neck jerking sharply to the side flared to the forefront of her mind. _Idiot_ , said one of her former foster “parents”. _You claim to love her, but look how you hurt her_. 

Regina had closed her eyes and Emma felt guilt rise in her, churning and violent as it clashed with her Darkness and began to roar. 

 _Stupid, ugly little girl_ , snarled another in the same tone she always had and Emma clutched her hands to her head as her Darkness bubbled and began to press against her control. The magic sought release, to hurt whoever had hurt Regina, anyone would do. They needed to be punished. Robin was dead, it no longer mattered, and the Mayor was friends, well, kinda friends with Snow and Charming now, and killing them would make Henny sad, and Regina would never talk to her again, and that was unacceptable. What about Zelena? 

 _Oooooh_ , the voices cooed in unison. _That’s an idea._

  _No one will miss her._

_She hurt Regina._

_Punish her._

They were getting louder and louder, more violent and her magic responded, lashing out like tightly bound lightening in her body as she sought to keep it under control.

 _No,_ she protested weakly. _I thought I had this under control. Please no._ Her body tensed and strained as the magic pressed against her skin, seeking an outlet, any outlet. Once she let it out, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop and within the caverns of her being, untouched by darkness, she couldn’t let that happen. Couldn’t give in.

  _If she’s no longer around she can’t hurt Regina._

_Do it!_

_Kill her!_

The screaming in her head built to a crescendo, a cacophony of violent and sharp sound, freezing cold and burning white all at once. 

“Emma?” 

Something soothing and warm and musical pressed into the noise. “Emma?” The note lingered again and outside of her bubble Emma registered movement, an increase in beeping and a sharp inhale. 

“Emma! Look at me!” This time a few notes played. It was soft and sweet, comforting and safe. 

In response the voices shouted at her. Each of her former foster parents, Neal, Lily, Snow and David, all people who had let her down, screaming at her to let go, to let the magic and all of the hurt out. She would feel better, Lily told her. There was a loud blaring around her bubble now, it blended with the noise inside her head. 

“Emma,” the music came again. “Look at me.” It was soft and warm and soothing and it stayed. Heat radiating out from outside of her little bubble, forcing the shadows back like the sun in one of those kids movies where the rain vanished with a beam of light from the sky and there were rainbows, unicorns, and candy. 

She was able to open her eyes and stared directly into Regina’s. The mayor was pale and gaunt up close, and the small lines of her face were taunt with pain. Her hair was still knotted and tangled and her face was devoid of make-up, and hospital gowns weren’t the most attractive wardrobe, but haloed by the dim light she looked like an angel. 

“Hey,” Regina said gently and the warmth flared like a fire fanned by a gentle wind. 

“Hi,” Emma was able to rasp and turned her attention from the voices and to the woman in front of her. 

The Saviour was frozen still as she stared directly up into Regina’s eyes and became increasingly aware of smooth skin and tender fingers on her cheeks and a hesitant thumb running back and forth across the arches of her cheekbones. There was an annoying single stretched note coming from one of the machines and a steady dripping sound, but it was almost drowned by the blaring of a siren outside. 

“Where’d you go?” Warm breath puffed across her face and a different sort of warmth entered her body, setting her skin on fire and racing through her veins. Her dark eyes were concerned as the two remained staring at each other. She has beautiful eyes, Emma thought to herself as she tried to memorize them. She had never been so close to Regina before. She was close enough to touch. Close enough to kiss. At that thought the voices fell to silence and the previous sunrays shone on all of her, lighting every bit of her and sending the shadows scurrying for the darkest parts of her. Her eyes flickered briefly down to Regina’s lips, paler than usual without her lipstick, and snagged on the sexy scar before darting back up to the Mayor’s eyes. 

She knew Regina caught the movement for she jerked back slightly and Emma followed her forward, pressing her own fingers to the Mayor’s smooth skin, curling around her neck, and mirroring her gentle touch. Her eyes were searching as she looked at Emma and her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. Emma’s attention was caught instantly and her entire focus was on the tongue slipping back between her lips. 

The flat line was starting to bother her and with a thought she silenced it, not entirely sure how, it didn’t matter. How could it be saying Regina’s heart had stopped when she could feel its steady thump beneath her finger? Could feel the strength of it as it sought to free itself from the confines of its bone prison. 

“Emma?” Regina breathed and the Saviour knew that the Queen had caught her look to her lips and back by the way her eyes had darkened, as dark as the sky with the same amount of promise, lit with the faint lights from the machinery and by the light that flickered on under the door. The Mayor’s pulse had started to quicken and pressed insistently against Emma’s hands as though it could leap into Emma’s veins and race along her bloodstream until it settled in her own heart. 

Regina swallowed nervously and it broke the spell of paralysis that had fallen upon the two and she guided Regina’s head to the side and leant in slowly. The Mayor’s breath hitched but she willingly followed the request and moved her head to the side, parting her lips in anticipation. 

They heard the arrival of the nurses and doctor before they saw them and it allowed them both time to pull away from each other. Unfortunately for Regina the abrupt movement sent her reeling and a wave of nausea struck and she stumbled against the bed before slipping to the side, slamming into the metal framing. Emma was able to catch her before she hit the ground and when the nurses burst inside and light flooded the room they saw the Saviour turned Dark One hovering over the Mayor as she lay on the floor. Her arm was red with blood and the strap that held the IV needle in dripped a steady stream into her already red sleeves. The heart monitor was smoking in the corner and its cords were strewn across the bed and dangling in the slight breeze caused by their arrival.

“What’s going on here?!” Demanded the head nurse, a chubby middle-aged lady with multiple smile lines. “Get out of the way so we can help her!” 

The Dark One snarled silently at the command but moved away from Regina and settled herself in the corner, glaring and brooding while the nurses fluttered around Regina. 

“Up you get, Dear,” the nurse ordered gently and helped a groggy Regina get to her feet. Her blood was dripping from her fingers and Emma was itching to do something about it. She took a step towards the Mayor and the head nurses eyes snapped up. 

“I don’t care who you are, Sheriff. You will stay in that corner or you will be removed. I will not allow you to endanger my patient’s health!” 

She would have found it comedic if she weren’t so angry and concerned about Regina. The woman threatening her, the Dark One, was several heads shorter than her, three times as round, and about as threatening as a cinnamon roll. She didn’t look like she could kill a fly, let alone go toe to-well, not toe, but maybe box and toe-with the Dark One. 

Her eyes were blazing as she challenged the Sheriff but Emma was more concerned with the Mayor than her pride so she ducked her head and settled against the wall, arms folded and brooding look in place. “Please, continue.” 

The nurses helped Regina back onto the bed and re-attached the IV into a different vein while they took care of the other bleeding one. One shone a light into the Mayor’s dark eyes and got her to follow the beam. 

“Sheriff,” said the head nurse stiffly and flickered her thumb at the heart monitor. “If you would.” Emma waved her hand and the machine was as good as new, better even, for she had magiced the latest model, and soon the steady beating of Regina’s heart filled the room. Emma was able to relax slightly at the sound and drew strength from it. 

The voices were quiet now, and she was certain she wouldn’t have to worry about them for a while. Mostly she was torn between elation, fury, and disappointment. Elation because she had almost kissed Regina! Just thinking about it made her heart race and a smile pull at her lips- but she had an image to maintain and grinning like a child would defiantly ruin her street cred. She was furious because they had been interrupted before what was definitely going to be the best and last first kiss of her life. She had considered killing the team for their interruption but had realised that they were helping Regina so any impulse to destroy them had immediately been drowned. Mostly she was disappointed that she didn’t get her kiss. But she was willing to wait. She would wait forever if she needed to. And maybe they could do more than kiss when Regina was better? The thought made her body heat and her skin tingled where the ghost of Regina’s skin lingered. 

The younger nurses kept glancing nervously at Emma as they worked and eventually the head nurse dismissed them and they fled happily out of the Mayor’s room. 

“What possessed you to tear the IV from your arm?” Grumbled the nurse as she finished applying pressure to the first IV vein. “Honestly,” she shook her head as she gathered some gauze and tape. “No one can just go around tearing needles from their skin and think its okay. I blame movies,” she didn’t appear to be looking for an answer and just kept on talking. “Now, you need to rest. I thought that was why the Sheriff,” her eyes narrowed on Emma. “Forbade any visitors.” 

She harrumphed. “I’ll be by later before visiting hours to check on your burns and you have a minor concussion.” She gathered her empty packaging and bloody bandages. “And you,” her voice was stern as she looked at Emma. “Better behave.” She jerked her index finger imperiously. “Or I will have you thrown out.” 

“Emma is welcome, Mrs. Pots,” Regina rasped tiredly and the nurse spun. 

“And you! You should know better! I will not have you injuring yourself or I will…” 

“Do what?” Regina asked, a hint of a smile colouring her voice. 

“Tell your son,” Mrs Pots said finally and Regina’s eyes widened. 

‘Don’t think I won’t,” announced the nurse as she strode from the room with a final glare at the two. “Behave!” 

There was silence for a moment, bar the steady beating of Regina’s heart. Emma draped herself back on her chair and lifted her eyes to meet Regina’s. They burst into laughter. 

“What an odd woman.” Emma said as their giggles subsided. 

Regina nodded slowly as her eyes tried to focus. “Mrs Pots is an amazing woman,” she said and a smile curled her lips even as her eyes fluttered tiredly. “She served my kingdom for many years. “\

“Didn’t see afraid of me, or of you, at all,” Emma said, a question in her tone.

 Regina smiled now. “No,” she said and a light entered her eyes. “She used to serve Rumpelstiltskin before Belle. I offered her a position in my household and she has been an inconvenience for me ever since.” She yawned. “Ask her about it,” she curled into her hospital bed slightly. 

“What happened earlier, Emma?” 

The Dark One looked down, wondering to what Regina was referring to and took a moment to gather her thoughts. When she looked back up Regina’s eyes were closed and she was sleeping. 

She released a breath in relief, she wasn’t ready to answer that question, wasn’t ready to tell Regina any of the answers. 

Mrs Pots returned a few minutes later with a clean hospital gown and Emma switched the two with a wave of her hand. No stranger was going to see Regina without her permission, not while she was here. 

Mrs Pots huffed in exasperation as she collected the bloody gown. 

“Honestly you Magical folk are so difficult! I have changed many patients’ gowns and this would not be the first time I have seen Her Majesty naked.” 

Emma stirred at the emotions that mental image evoked and had to shake herself from her abrupt jealousy and fury. 

“She said you served her in the Enchanted Forest,” Emma deadpanned but arched an eyebrow to convey her curiosity. 

Mrs Pots nodded. “For many years.” She cast a glance over to the slumbering Mayor and Emma was certain she caught affection in her gaze. 

“I was the head of her personal infirmary,” she said suddenly. “I can’t tell you how many times I had to patch her back together.” The woman shook her head but her gaze was gentle as it settled on the Mayor. “She would never let me see to her until her soldiers were seen to. I have never met a woman like her. She is singular.” 

Emma couldn’t help but agree.

 

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The Bach on the Bay was a small café situated on the water front and looking out over the port and sea. It was a popular place, more upmarket than Granny’s and catered to the Storybrooke so-called elite. Most of the car parks were full as Snow parked the car and gathered Neal into his carrier and rested her baby bag across her shoulders. 

The interior of the café was sleek and modern, with neutral colour schemes and dark wooden accents but there were many colourful paintings along the walls. The café was a hub of noise and activity as Snow entered and a waitress flashed her a smile as she passed with a bowl of wedges in one hand and a smoothie in the other. 

It took the former Queen a moment to locate her dining companion but she eventually saw her sipping something as she looked out over the ocean. It was grey with foam horses prancing and rearing on the rolling waves. 

Amy Maddox felt the eyes on her and turned amber eyes directly on Snow and then pointedly looked back out the window. Amy was a middle aged woman who had started to age with grace, embracing the lines around her eyes and mouth with dignity. She was slim and modern, with short and spikey hair that she had gelled to stick in all directions and her elegant skirt and blouse gave off a successful businesswoman vibe. She kicked out the seat opposite her and leant back in her chair as Snow carefully moved through the tables and settled herself and Neal at the table. 

“ _Princess_ Snow.” Amy greeted and flicked her short platinum hair out of her eyes. “I was curious to get your message.” 

Snow took a moment to gather her bearings and grabbed at the menu for something to do with her hands. Amy Maddox had been a member of her father’s court and then a member of Regina’s, following the Queen into her own kingdom and taking her wealth and influence with her. It had been a bitter pill for Snow to swallow, and she hadn’t spoken with the Noblewoman at length since. As always the elder woman had always made her feel self-conscious and her lack of respect for her proper title, indicated her allegiance still lay firmly with Regina. 

“Do try the Caesar salad, it’s to die for,” Amy drawled and her elegant fingers brought her mug to her lips, leaving a red imprint along the rim. 

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” Snow said as she took a deep breath to centre herself. Manners would impress this woman, she knew that. 

“As I said, I was very curious to receive your message. However I have better places to be,” she glanced at her watch and Snow felt her ire rise. “So let’s make this quick. What do you want?” 

“Aly from the hospital told David that we should speak with you.” 

Amy’s brow arched and she gently lowered her cup to her saucer. “Now that is curious,” she drawled after dabbing at her lips with a napkin and Snow sent a silent prayer that Neal would remain asleep through this encounter. 

“Did dear Aly happen to say what about?” 

Snow was growing sick of the patronising tone and manner this woman addressed her with but held her tongue. “Regina?” She offered in question, not entirely sure why Aly had wanted her and David to speak with the woman opposite her. 

“How is she?” Amy asked, changing her tone and posture completely, she seemed generally interested in Regina’s health. 

“She had an accident this morning. Pulled her IV out of her arm. Emma was there,” Snow said and a flash of something passed through the eyes of the noblewoman. 

“She’s okay now, though. As okay as she can be,” Snow added, hoping to keep the woman talking and engaged with her, rather than treating her like dirt. 

“Good,” Amy took a sip of her drink and appraised Snow carefully. 

“And how is your wayward daughter doing?” She knew she had hit a sore spot when Snow’s face fell. “Ah, so she will spend her nights with Regina, but not come home?” 

Her rising anger flooded from her in a heartbeat as what Amy said registered with her. “How do you know she has been staying with Regina?” Snow hissed in response and Amy’s eyes shut briefly in regret before her features neutralised and she took another sip of her drink. 

“Answer me!” Snow demanded, drawing everything she knew of being a royal into her bearing. She was a Queen and this woman would treat her like one. 

Amy met her gaze and arched a brow unimpressed but lowered her now empty cup and gathered her handbag. “I sometimes spend my evenings at the hospital. Imagine my surprise when I saw the AWOL Saviour talking with the Mayor.”

Snow’s mind went reeling and she leant back in her seat in surprise as a server finally approached the table. 

“Lovely chat,” Amy sneered and then stalked off after placing some notes on the table. “Let’s not do it again soon.” 

In a puzzled daze Snow ordered a coffee and a cake and sat in confusion as she tried to recognise what Amy had said with what she had thought she knew. 

One) Regina knew that Emma was okay, well not okay, okay, but okay. Two) Emma was seeing Regina in the hospital. Three) if Amy had seen her at night, then maybe Emma was staying with Regina every night. It explained how Regina had awoken from her Magical coma in time for the funeral and had looked as better than she had the first time they had seen her. But if Emma were around, why hadn’t she contacted them or answered their messages? Especially after they found out she was Regina’s Power of Attorney, and had forbidden them from seeing her. What was it about Regina that drew Emma to her?

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

David Nolan, acting Sheriff of Storybrooke, sighed as his paper ball bounced off the bin in the corner and rolled across the floor before resting against the wall. Eyeing the bin again he scrunched another piece of paper and lined up his shot. 

“He shoots!” 

The paper ball arched through the air and landed on the rim, bouncing before falling inside. 

“He scores!” 

His fist pump was enthusiastic and he did it again before spying a dumbfounded pair standing by the door. 

Suddenly sheepish he straightened and cleared his throat. “Hello,” he said professionally. “How can I help you two today?” 

The pair were clearly father and son, near mirror images of each other. The man was tall and willowy with grey eyes and black hair peppered with silver. His son was almost as tall but with the gangly awkwardness of youth and he was looking anywhere but at David. 

“Tell the Sheriff, Son,” the father tilted his head towards David and jammed his hands into his pocket. His son cast a glance at David before his eyes scanned over the office and his jaw tightened. 

The father sighed. “You’re not gonna get into trouble,” his eyes locked on David’s. “Will he, Sheriff?” 

David clasped his hands together and eyed the two curiously. “That depends on what it is you’ve done,” he said trying to catch the gaze of the teen. 

“Was just looking,” he muttered. “Didn’t mean anything by it. I swear!” 

“What did you see?” David asked curiously. 

“I been working at the hospital and sometimes in the morgue,” seeing David’s shift in expression he hastened to add, “cleaning! I clean it afterwards. I mean, like, the normal cleaning stuff, no body’s or nothing.” He took a deep breath. “I clean like toilets and hallways and stuff, nothing gross.” 

“Just tell the Sheriff what you saw,” sighed the father with the patience of someone who had had this conversation many times. 

“I didn’t mean ta look, I was just curious, and if they didn’t want anyone to look they should locked it up!” The teens tone turned mutinous, as though someone else was to blame for whatever it was he had seen. 

“Locked what up?” David asked, feeling a headache coming on. He was ready to go home to his wife, son, and grandson, and the orphaned Roland, and maybe he would see Emma or Regina tonight. 

“The autopsy reports,” the father said. “Nick read them,” he glared down at the teen who shuffled away and then shrugged. David was confused. 

“Of the fire,” he said pointedly and David felt something heavy stir in his belly. 

“What did you read?” He asked of Nick, leaning forward earnestly. 

“That Hood guy, he wasn’t killed by fire.” Nick said and shrugged again. “Report said he died of, I dunno the medical term, but he had a broken neck.” 

David felt the sense of wrongness solidify and sit low and dark in his belly. “Robin Hood was killed in the forest fire,” he said carefully. 

“Well, yeah. That’s what everyone thinks don’t they, only he was already dead.” 

David stood over his desk. “I saw him before he died, he was still alive when Regina sent Roland to us.” 

“The Queen was the last to see him before he died? Coincidence? I think not,” scoffed the father and David turned from his internal musings to stare hard at the father. 

“You are?”

 “Myers. Derek Myers. I was-am-a loyal subject of Queen Snow.” He bowed slightly in respect. 

David’s mind was whirling and he realised he had some serious thinking to do. 

“Alright. This is an investigation now. You need to keep this information to yourselves. Understand?” He was hoping his brief tenor as Prince James would assist him in assuming command of the situation, after all, he never went to Prince School. 

“Of course,” Derek nodded for the both of them. 

“I’ll have someone come past to get your statements,” David said as he scrambled for a piece of paper and a pen. He had Derek write his address down and then dismissed the two after thanking them for the information. 

He brushed past Tod as he entered for his shift and ignored his confused, “Where are ya going?” as he jogged down the steps and to the cruiser. He had to see. Had to know, even as he knew that there would be no reason for Derek and his son to lie, they would know he would check. 

He was consumed by his thoughts as he drove to the hospital and made his way through the building, following the directions a puzzled receptionist gave him, to the morgue. 

It was stale and sterile and his fought the urge to sneeze as he sought the Medical Examiner’s office. His footsteps echoed down the long and sombre hall and it felt empty and cold. The Medical Examiner was inside and David took a deep breath before knocking and entering. 

The ME was an elderly man; tall and lean, with round glasses and several days’ worth of stubble hugging his jaw line and lips. He was tapping away at an old computer when David walked in and as soon as he saw him David knew immediately that something was up. He paled instantly and began to fidget with his fingers, unable to look at the Sheriff and the folder open next to him was instantly closed and placed in a drawer. 

“Sh-sheriff,” he cleared his throat. “How can I help you?” 

David hoped that his authority as both King and Sheriff would allow him to throw his weight around. 

“I’d like to see the autopsy report of Robin Hood,” he said clearly and raised a brow imperiously. 

The ME swallowed and stuttered. “Wh-why do you need that?” His eyes were darting all over the show. “Robin Hood was killed in the forest fire last week.” His voice gained confidence as he spoke and he fixed David with an expression of polite interest.

"So we thought,” the ME’s face shifted from a smile and into a frown as he continued. “But I want to make sure of it.” 

The ME looked like he had swallowed something sour. 

“Robin Hood’s autopsy report,” David emphasised again, shifting and placing his hands on his belt and maybe accidently-on-purpose flashing his side arm. 

“Do you have a warrant, Sheriff?” The ME’s smile was overly sweet.

David arched a brow. “I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t be willing to show it to me, after all, as you said, he died in a forest fire.”

Jaw clenching the ME slowly reached for the drawer under his desk and reluctantly handed the folder over to David. He scanned the report and felt that heavy feeling from earlier expand in his belly and his heart felt heavy. The ME report was clear. Robin Hood had died from suffocation due to broken vertebra one and two.

Robin Hood had been murdered.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the reviews, Kudos, and comments. Also, I hope the new layout makes for a smoother read; I think I figured out how the editor works.


	4. Part Four

 

“I’ll be fine,” Regina rasped as she stood rigid in the doorway of her home and offered her, her politician smile. “You can come and check on me in the morning if you must, Snow.” Snow White seemed reluctant to allow her step-mother to stay in her own home alone so soon after being released from hospital.

“If you’re sure,” she hedged and Regina allowed a tired and genuine smile onto her features.

“We’ll be fine, Snow,” she said gently.

“Okay,” the pixie-haired brunette reluctantly agreed before becoming fierce. “But you ring me if there is any trouble. At all. Do you hear me?”

Regina arched a perfectly sculptured brow and tilted her head back slightly. “Of course, Dear, “she drawled in response and Snow shook her head at her with no small amount of affection.

“I’ll come by for breakfast, okay?”

“We’ve got this Grandma,” Henry said as he emerged behind his mother and leant against the doorframe. “Yes. I will let you know if we need anything. No. I won’t let Mum threaten me into being quiet if she needs help. Yes. I’ve put the casserole in the oven. No. Roland doesn’t need anything. Yes. We will be fine.”

“Watch the tone, young man,” Snow chastened gently, much to Regina’s barely conceal amusement. Henry just grinned at his grandmother, knowing he wasn’t in the slightest bit of trouble and happy to have his Mum home.

"But I see I’ve been out voted,” she sighed and shook her head.

“Please, ring me if you need anything at all,” she said, doe eyes earnest.

“Yes, Grandma,” Henry sighed.

“We will be fine, Snow,” Regina repeated and with a backward glance the former bandit said farewell and strode off down the path.

Regina sighed with relief when the door closed behind her former step-daughter and cast a tired glance to Henry.

“Do you have homework?”

Henry shrugged. “I did it while we were at the hospital.”

“All of it?” She arched a brow in question.

“Yes, Mum,” Henry rolled his eyes. “Grandma helped me with it.”

“Okay,” Regina nodded, too tired to argue. “Screens until dinner, but nothing violent. Can you keep Roland with you?”

“Yup, he’s drawing in the den.” Henry cast a final glance to his mother and then eagerly walked into the living room, ready to play his device.

Regina’s socked feet were silent as they carried her into the kitchen and she checked on the casserole before they took her up to her room. She passed by the den and saw Henry with his tongue poking out staring at the television as he moved his arms to the right, obviously trying to guide his vehicle around the corner, if the bright red race car on the screen was to go by.

Roland was on the floor on the blanket that Henry had used as a child and had a large variety of colouring pencils strew around him. There was a lot of drawings around him as well and she considered entering the room to talk with them both, but she was in pain and was craving the comfort of her own bed.

Reassured that they would be okay for the interim she forced herself up the stairs and into her room. The air was surprisingly fresh and clear, with a new sweet scent, and her bed had been made and the curtains were open. Slightly on guard she hesitated beneath the doorframe, wondering who had _dared_ to enter her room, her sanctuary, without her permission. The neutral colour schemes and dark wood were offset by the rich, red duvet and fluffy, soft looking, pillows atop the bed. There was a piece of paper folded at the end facing the door waiting for her.

She strode across the room and picked it up.

 

Regina.

Get well soon.

–E

 

Emma. A flare of affection for the blonde rose in her chest and she slowly lowered the note. It flared for a moment, grey mist-like magic that seeped into her skin without her knowledge and she felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. It was abrupt, so encompassing that she barely had time to manoeuvre herself onto the bed, mindful of her burns and broken arm before sleep overwhelmed her.

It was nearing seven o’clock when his mother called him in from the den. It was a bit later than tea normally was but Henry figured she was tired, sad, and a various combination of a lot of different feelings that he didn’t understand.

He turned off his console and shook Roland awake and Regina appeared in the doorway a moment. “Dinner’s on the counter, ki-dear.” And then she was gone, up the stairs and into her room, if the sound of her door clicking shut was any indication.

Henry stared after her puzzled and Roland came and tugged on his hand, rubbing his sleepy eyes with the other. He had pencil shavings stuck to the side of his face and had smudged it in an arc across his cheek.

Hopefully she would be resting, but there was something off about her. “Henry,” Roland tugged on his sleeve. “I’m hungry.”

Casting a glance down to the little boy he smiled. “Me too. Come on.” He started to walk towards the kitchen, Roland shuffling along behind him.

He didn’t mind being responsible for himself, and for another, tonight. He was a teenager and he could take care of himself, and his mum needed to rest, so he would take care of Roland tonight, and make sure he got up in time for breakfast and school. Anything to make life easier for his Mum.

Regina had set their plates up on the kitchen island. A small serving of Snow’s casserole for Roland with a side of salad and an apple juice, and a larger serving of each for Henry with a bigger glass of juice.

He helped Roland up onto the bar stool and moved around the island to hungrily dig into his own meal. It wasn’t as good as his mum’s, but no one’s cooking ever bet his mum’s.

They finished up and Henry placed their empty dishes in the dishwasher and wiped down the table, wanting to leave the least amount of work for his mum as possible. It was different. His mum was hardly ever sick when he grew up, and when she was she didn’t let it affect her. She would stick to her routine and would go into work and be the Mayor and come home and be Mum. He never really had to do things for himself. Sure he had chores as he grew older, but those were easy. It occurred to him that his mum did a lot for him, and he never really realised how much until she couldn’t.

Deciding to try to be a better son he took Roland upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Oddly enough, the first door he tried refused to budge, no matter how hard he tried. Accepting defeat he walked down to the next guest room, the one next to his room at the end of the hall. It was clearly for Roland, if the theme was to go by. The image on the bedspread was one of Henry’s old ones, the comic version of Captain America staring blankly out at them both, chin tilted proudly. He felt a pang of nostalgia for his childhood. He had _loved_ reading comics with his mum, but then he grew out of it.

In the corner there was an old wooden chair next to a small table and next to the table was an old set of drawers. On the carpet was a large rug and it matched the blue pillows on the bed.

He directed Roland over to the drawers were he knew would be a full wardrobe, and after making sure the boy got himself into his pyjamas he helped him into the bed.

“You remember where Mum’s room is? Where the bathroom is?”

Roland nodded each time and Henry left with a “goodnight,” hoping that he hadn’t forgotten to do or say anything. He paused on the soft carpet outside his Mum’s room and knocked gently. There was no reply, not even a sound crept under the door and he assumed his Mum was asleep so he didn’t press the matter, she needed to rest and to heal. He could handle a night without her saying goodnight to him, he was a teen after all. Besides, he had research to do.

He made his way to his room and powered up his computer as he got into his pyjamas and then he connected his headphones to the speakers. The _Jammin’ with Jeremy_ segment had its own page on the Storybrooke Radio Station website and it also had a link to all of the podcasts of the show, especially the ones that featured the elusive lover Romeo. He had gone through most of them and had written down each transcript, it was part of a new project called Operation Mockingbird. He was 99% sure that Emma was indeed Romeo, and that of course made him feel a bit betrayed, hurt, but also excited. Because if Romeo _were_ Emma, then she was in love! With someone in town! And he could help get her and whoever she was in love with together! He could give them their Happy Ending!

But he was still mad. His calls had gone unanswered and her text replies had been short and simple. Maybe it was time to bring out the big guns. He gazed for a moment at his phone and then reached for it, flopping the leather case open.

_I know you are Romeo._

 

Now all he had to do was wait. He was disappointed when hours passed and Emma still didn’t reply and he had gone through the rest of the podcasts and was now caught up on the Romeo Saga when she arrived.

In a plume of grey smoke Emma appeared in his room. He gave a yelp and jerked back from his computer as he saw her reflected in the monitor.

“Argh!” Annoyed with himself he removed his headphones and placed them next to his keyboard and then slowly turned to face his mother. He hadn’t seen her since before she became the Dark One, and he couldn’t hide his shock. The first thing he noticed was the dark clothing; the black leather looking jacket, with the high collar and the tight black pants and high heeled boots. Sure Emma had worn the occasional dark clothes, navy or black jeans, or her black fat-pants, sometimes a worn band t-shirt or hoodie, but never so much black, and not all at once. It was a clear change from her normal attire and his first thought was that her clothing fit her as being the Dark one. The second thing he noticed was her hair; it was platinum blond and looked coarse, like it would be rough and dry if he were to touch it. His second thought was that she looked severe and sad.

“Emma?”

Her head turned slightly to appraise him, just her head, and it reminded him of a bird, the sharp movement followed by a piercing gaze.

“Hello Henry.” Even her voice had changed. It was higher and measured and even in those two words formed by crimson lips he could feel her power, the ageless grace and malice of the cruel power of the Dark One.

He wanted to hug her. Wanted to throw his arms around her and squeeze her as tight as he could, force the love he had for her into her and let it eradicate the Darkness. She shifted on her feet slightly and he decided to stay where he was.

“What-where have you been? Why haven’t you answered my calls? What happened? Why didn’t you let us see Mum? How did you know she was in trouble? How are you her power of attorney? Why won’t you come home?” His questions spilled out of him in a chaotic rush, falling from his lips as soon as they passed through his head. Questions he had asked of himself, his mother, his grandparents, all through the long months Emma had been missing.

Emma looked out of the window as he fell silent and stared at her waiting, like he had for months.

“I don’t know what to say Henry.” Her words were weighted and measured, power hidden behind them. “It was very confusing at first.” Suddenly he was caught in her predator-gaze and he wondered if this-trapped, helpless- was how other people felt when faced with his Mum’s Queen Gaze. “I don’t remember much of it. I can’t explain how it felt, it was just wrong. Evil,” she shrugged, a movement so unnatural in her current form but reminiscent of her, that Henry couldn’t help the tilt to his lips. “The Darkness is up here,” she tapped her forehead with a long, pale finger.

“I have only been able to contain it recently. I’m not- I didn’t feel safe to be around.”

Her gaze lifted off him and he suddenly felt like he could breathe again, but she was looking at the computer monitor. “ _Jammin with Jeremy_?” She asked and raised a brow and he was struck with how similar it was to Mum’s. “Does Regina know you are listening to that?” A smile lingered on her lips.

“Yeah,” he said and narrowed his eyes. “Romeo,” he greeted, certain in her identity.

Emma lifted her brow again, and it was almost as though she were unable to smile, like she didn’t know or remember how to.

“Juliet?” Bemusement tipped her high voice and Henry faltered.

“Aren’t-aren’t you Romeo?”

In the light from the monitor he was able to see how her head shifted again, sharp and precise and birdlike.

“I am Emma,” she said tilting her head in a move that would have once reminded him of a puppy but now channelled the grace and malice of an eagle.

Henry felt his confidence falter. “So you aren’t singing on the radio? At night?”

Emma blinked. “You think I am pretending to be some guy-“

“Romeo,” Henry explained helpfully.

“-Right, Romeo,” red lips formed the name with a sneer. “And am singing to someone at night-“

“-Juliet,” Henry offered again. “Only no one knows who Juliet is.”

Emma nodded again. “Right. So I am pretending to be Romeo and am serenading someone who is called Juliet through the Storybrooke radio station?”

Feeling foolish Henry shrugged and looked down. “It’s stupid, forget it,” he said. Emma made it sound really lame. Of course she wasn’t Romeo. She was in love with Hook, or she had something with the pirate. He had been so sure Emma had been Romeo, but he must have been wrong. After all, anyone could make their voice sound different, and it’s not like she had better things to do. She was the Dark One now.

Emma’s face was still, but a flash of something flared in her expressionless eyes before fading, but Henry missed it as he was worrying the edge of his shirt.

“I am here,” she said. She was unable to convey her sorrow for leaving him, for not replying to his messages, for not letting him see Regina when he should have, for not coming when he needed her, but her son was wise beyond his years, and he nodded.

“Yeah.”

Silence crept into the room and he tangled his fingers together in a nervous habit.

“So,” he started awkwardly after a few minutes of silence before cursing himself as Emma’s lips twitched, possibly in amusement. He defiantly got his awkwardness from his blonde mother.

“Are you staying?” He had meant ‘are you staying around?’ But Emma met his gaze squarely.

“Do you want me to?” She might have been surprised. It was hard to tell.

“Of course!”

“Then I will.” Emma promised calmly. “Though I can’t always be here. Sometimes I have to-” she paused. “Have to leave.”

“That’s okay!” And it was. It didn’t matter that she may have to leave, as long as she came back and stayed Henry was willing to forgive her for everything. She was his Mum. Well, his other Mum.

“But, erm,” he looked to the wall where he knew his mother’s room was. “Mum might not be okay with you staying. You know, with Robin and Roland and all…”

“Maybe… maybe we don’t tell her? Tell anyone?”

Henry wasn’t so sure he liked that idea.

“Just for now. It can be between us?”

Henry didn’t really like the idea. It felt like he was going behind Regina’s back, and his grandparents’ and he said so.

“It’s not like we will be doing anything wrong. I don’t want- I’m not safe.”

 _Safe to be around people_. It wasn’t said, but Henry had been reading up on the Dark One after he first found out, and had asked everyone he could think of what they thought Emma was going through. He had gathered from the little that the adults had told him, that it was bad, and she would be full of Dark urges.

Still, Dark One or not, he had never had to fear his parents hurting him, and he certainly wasn’t about to start now. “You won’t hurt me,” he said confidently and was rewarded with an uplifting of Emma’s lips, though the rest of her face remained stationary. It looked painfully false, but Henry understood she was trying to convey her gratitude and love.

“Never,” she vowed with a duck of her head and Henry felt a yawn bubbling up and tried to smother it.

Emma caught it and nodded towards the bed. “Bed. Now.”

“But-” his protests were halted by another yawn and he sighed before powering down his computer and going over to his bed and getting under the covers.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” He asked, hating the way his voice cracked with vulnerability.

“I don’t know. But I will talk to you?” Emma was frowning and seemed conflicted.

It was the best Henry thought he was going to get so he nodded. “Tomorrow.” His “Night Emma,” followed her from his room where she flicked the lights off before shutting the door.

Alone in the hallway Emma paced her way to Regina’s room and silently let herself into Regina’s private space. The Mayor was right where she had left her; tucked under her covers and nuzzled into her pillow. Her arm was held away from her body and the light comforter would help keep her warm but without putting too much strain on her burns. Emma had also turned Regina’s heater on, keeping the entire room at a comfortable temperature.

Satisfied she vanished in a plume of grey smoke and re-appeared in the kitchen. Henry had done his best to clean up, but it wasn’t up to Regina’s standards so with a wave of her hand she returned it to its normal pristine state. Then, driven by the voices, she returned to Regina’s room and took up a guard position on the chair over by the window. She would always protect her. But while she was, she might as well look into some more songs. She felt a flash of guilt over not confessing to Henry that she was Romeo, but her teenage son had his own things to worry about, and it would certainly keep him from meddling, what would he think if he learnt one of his mother’s was helplessly in love with the other? Would they get together and be happily ever after? Henry and his two Mum’s. The Saviour and the Evil (former) Queen. The Sheriff and the Mayor. Emma and Regina. No, it was best she let him believe he was wrong. She would have to do something to make sure of it, maybe ring him at ten tomorrow night, right when Romeo would be singing live on air. Of course, the wondrous thing about live, didn’t always mean live.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“Well, what do you think?” Were anyone in the forest that night they would have come across David, Tod and Mother Superior standing in the midst of the fire torn land looking intently around them.

“It’s…hard to say,” hedged the fairy.

“What do you mean its hard to say!? Either it was caused by magic or it wasn’t. Simple.” David was visibly frustrated and ran a hand distractedly through his hair before shaking his head. “Sorry.”

Blue accepted the apology silently. “There is magic here,” she offered. “It is a mixture though. The other places were magic as well, but they felt… off. They don’t feel the same as this one.”

“What’s the difference then?” Todd asked as he looked around the broken trees and charcoal forest floor. The scent of fire and smoke lingered, acidic and poisonous and he didn’t like it, he wanted to be anywhere but here where people had died.

“Let me see the map again.”

Charming reached for his back pocket and unfolded the large map of the Storybrooke forest and had Tod secure the other side. There were red x’s marked in the locations the trio had identified magic as having been used to start the fire. They had even spoken with the couple who had first called the fire in, and Ken who had gone on Ruby’s request to observe the fire from the lookout.

“These points here are where they said the lightning hit the trees first. I can confirm that although the fire here wasn’t fuelled by magic, it was started by it. The lightning was certainly dark magic, I could feel its intent. It was no accident.” The Blue fairy was explaining as she pointed to the spots all around the forest, the arc that had relied on the natural wind to fan it forward.

“This bit here,” she dragged her finger down the map, “is covered in magic as well.”

David nodded. “That’s where Regina put her barrier. From the camp to the river.”

“And she was also here?” Blue inquired as she looked pointedly around her.

Tod nodded. “Yes. The Merry Men have all reported that she showed up in the river down there,” he pointed past the Sheriff and Nun to the gentle slope that lead to the river. “She teleported them out.”

“I can sense a lot of her magic,” Blue said absently and closed her eyes. “But there is something else here. A Dark intent.”

David reached out to steady her as she began to walk towards the rock. “Here,” she said and opened her eyes not missing the way David and Tod shared a look. “It’s angry. Jealous. Dark.” She tilted her head to the side and fixed David with a superior look. “What happened here? What is the real reason you have asked me here?”

The two officers shared a look again and Tod shrugged.

“Okay,” David said and nodded. “You are right. We wanted to be sure that the fire had been started with magic. Right there,” David looked down at the area in front of the Blue fairy, “is where Robin Hood was murdered.”

Blue shifted back in surprise and then looked at the area. On the surface it didn’t look any different from the rest of the burnt forest around them, but looking with Magic she could see the Dark aura hovering over the area. Could taste its malicious intent.

“That explains the Dark Magic. There is a mixture of energies here. Here there is very Dark Magic, but over there it’s so bright it’s almost the purest of Light Magic. It’s confusing.”

The trio discussed the new investigation before parting ways.

“So,” Tod began on the journey back to the cruiser. “We can confirm that Robin was the target?”

David sighed, wondering why he had wanted the Deputy and then the Sheriff position in the first place. So much responsibility, especially now that he couldn’t just order things to happen, or tell the people what he wanted. Damn Regina for wanting a just world.

“It certainly looks that way,” he offered as he lifted his long legs over a fallen tree.

“What now, then?” Tod asked. He was unfamiliar with the proper procedures as his training hadn’t covered murder, and he hadn’t been cursed with the memories of an Officer.

“We start asking questions.”

“Yeah…” Tod hedged. “Who is known to have Dark Magic, and has, or had, a relationship with Robin Hood? Long list of suspects there.”

David’s hand came up and Tod walked directly into it. Blue eyes were stormy as he gazed at him. “Whatever you may think of Regina,” David began calmly, but with iron flashing in his eyes, “Killing the people she cares about is not something she does.”

“Isn’t it?” Tod wondered, ignoring the arm at his chest. “Isn’t that why we are all here?”

“Regina didn’t kill Robin. She was trying to save him!” David protested.

“Hey! Easy man, I’m just saying.” Tod lifted his large hands in a peaceful gesture. “The Queen isn’t a fool. How better to draw suspicion from yourself than to pretend to be saving the person you are trying to kill? I’m not saying she did, _but_ you have to look at the facts.”

“Regina almost died getting the Merry Men from the forest,” David had turned to face his Officer fully.

“And that Robin was the last one out and she couldn’t save him doesn’t seem suspicious to you?”

Tod shrugged. “Sorry to play Devils Advocate, but she looks like a prime suspect. Who else has an issue with Robin Hood, and has Dark Magic?”

David couldn’t answer that. He just stared at Tod as the realisation finally dawned on him. Robin Hood had been murdered by Dark Magic, and the last person to have seen him alive was Regina Mill’s, a woman infamous for her Dark Magic, and whom had a complicated relationship with the victim. “Well, shit,” he said stumped.

“We’ll have to keep this quiet,” Tod sighed. “If, as you say, Regina didn’t do it-“

“-She didn’t,” David interrupted.

“-then someone else is out there. Who knows who they could target next? And they don’t seem to care for collateral,” he added, referencing the other people killed in the fire, and the injuries to property and person.

“Alright,” agreed David. “We’ll keep this quiet, at least until we have had a chance to speak with Regina.”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

It was Ruby Lucas who was the first of the band of heroes, or rather one of their side-kicks, to see the Monday mornings headlines, and when she did she swore.

“Ruby!” Her grandmother admonished from in the kitchen where she was preparing the ingredients and utensils for the morning staff.

Ignoring her warning Ruby took the paper and approached her grandmother.

“Granny,” she swallowed nervously and instantly had Granny’s attention. Silently she held out the paper and presented Eugenia Lucas with the headline, “ **Robin Hood: Murdered by Magic?”** Beneath the headline there was an image of the four coffins from the funeral last week.

Granny began to pursue the article, reading it out loud so that Ruby could know what was said.

“ _Last week our tightknit community faced a devastating loss in the face of a rampant wild fire that claimed seven lives (and counting) and numerous injuries to both our citizens and their property. Originally thought to be an act of nature, the forest fire is now under suspicion as arson, indeed it seems to be a cover for an act of murder! Our sources indicate that Robin Hood, was not in fact killed by the fire, but was murdered before he was burnt. Our insider reports that the famous thief had had his neck broken, and that for such an injury to occur naturally in that situation was near impossible. The force required would require supernatural strength, dare we say magical?_ ”

Granny pulled away from the paper immediately. “Ring David. Now,” she instructed and Ruby hurried to obey, pulling her cell from her apron and dialled for Charming.

He didn’t pick up and the call rolled over to voice mail. “Damn it!” She quickly hung up and tried again, receiving the same answering machine.

“I’ll try Snow,” she told her Granny as she re-dialled and brought the phone to her air.

Unlike her husband Snow picked up on the first ring and sounded irritated. “Ruby, do you realise what time it is?”

“Where’s David?” Ruby demanded, a hint of hysteria entering her voice. “Put him on the phone now!”

“Ruby, what’s going on?” Snow’s tone changed from annoyed to concern.

“Now, Snow!”

She could hear shuffling through the phone and then Snow was speaking again. “I’ll put him on speaker. Go, Ruby.”

“David. Have you seen this morning’s paper?”

The Sheriff sounded half asleep. “No, it’s what-its five thirty in the morning, Ruby. What’s so important?”

“I’ll read you the headline,” Ruby commented wryly. “Robin Hood. Murdered by Magic?”

There was a moment’s silence.

“I’m up,” David said and through the line she could hear the rustle of sheets and the bed creaking as he rose.

“What does the article say?” His voice was slightly muffled and she heard Snow faintly telling him she would get Neal ready and go over to Regina’s as soon as possible.

“Basically it says the fire wasn’t an accident and points the finger at Regina,” Granny said, having heard the conversation from where she was standing.

“Did you catch that?” Ruby inquired and David grunted.

“They think Regina started the fire as a cover to kill Robin?”

“Basically,” Ruby said.

“Shit.”

Ruby and Granny shared the sentiment.

“Thanks Ruby. I might need you later, okay?”

Granny nodded when Ruby glanced over for confirmation. “Yup, just call me. I’ll be waiting.”

“Okay. Thanks,” David hung up and then stared at the photo of him, Snow, Henry, Neal, and Emma that had been taken shortly after Neal had been born before it faded to black.

“Shit,” David pulled on his shoes and went to the drawer where he kept his side arm and unlocked it, taking it out and settling it in his holster as Snow moved silently around the house, getting Neal’s day bag ready.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” He kissed Snow goodbye and gently brushed his sons hair back.

He swiftly left the apartment and jogged down the stairs to his truck and after waiting for it to warm up, he quickly made his way through the sleepy streets to Miflin. He wanted to get to Regina and warn her before anyone else got to her. Not that challenging a powerful witch on her own turf was a good idea, he considered as he pulled the truck into park outside the silent house.

He didn’t bother to lock the door and jogged towards the imposing white building, ghostly in the faint morning dawn.

There was a faint layer of frost clinging to strands of grass and he cautioned his steps, not wanting to fall and trip. The security light came on as he approached and he rapped sharply on the door. Nothing happened. He tried again a few minutes later, fighting a yawn. When nothing still happened he considered his cell phone with a mental shake of his head at his stupidity. Duh. Regina’s number was on his favourites list and had been for a while, and as he opened it he saw the two missed calls from Ruby.

He was soon met with Regina’s answering machine and frowned slightly, glancing up at the house as though he could see into it. He tried again, only for the line to click as though he had been ignored. Growing suspicious he dialled her home number and was rewarded moments later with the steady ring of it echoing through the house, only for it to cut off abruptly.

Eyes narrowed he began to pound on the door. “Regina!” He hissed, wary of her neighbours and her son and Roland in the house, he didn’t want to wake them if he didn’t have to, but he was getting worried. Regina always had her phone on her and checked it religiously, even if she didn’t always respond.

He lifted his hand to drum on the door when it was abruptly open by a figure in black and a hissed, “What?!”

David stumbled back from the door and onto one of the lower steps in surprise. “Emma?!”

The Saviour turned Dark One growled and stalked through the door and down the steps towards him, every inch the ancient cruelty she was meant to be.

“What do you want,” she snarled and David blinked away his moment of fear.

“Emma, what are you doing here?” He questioned before ignoring that and stepping towards his daughter with a smile and lifting his arms. “I’m glad you’re okay!”

Emma eyed his arms with an expression of immense distaste and he faltered. “Emma?”

His daughters fathomless eyes locked onto his own and he frowned. “Why are you here, David?”

She ignored his flinch at his name, she hadn’t called him David in a long time, and the way she said it, devoid of affection, of love, for him sent ice through his veins. He needed to talk to Regina, but having his daughter here after not seeing her for months made him feel torn. He wanted to help her. But he also needed to talk to Regina.

“Regina. I need to talk to Regina.” Emma would have come to them had she wanted them, he reasoned. She had said that she would, and she was clearly… stable? If Regina allowed her into her house with Henry, and Regina’s issue had precedency.                  

“At six in the morning? She’s asleep,” Emma’s words were precise and measured, weighted in a way they had never been.

David ignored how Emma would know _that_ for the moment and insisted. “It’s important. Official business,” he flashed his badge and a boyish smile, hoping to gain access into the house and to Regina.

The Dark One sneered but then vanished in a plume of grey smoke, leaving the doorway open.

David immediately entered, taking the time to shut and lock the door, feeling reassured with the sound of the deadbolt locking in place.

Emma appeared at the end of the hallway, eyes glinting and flicked on the kitchen light. “She’ll be down soon.”

David felt uneased as he padded along the polished wooden floors and into the kitchen. Compared to the rest of the house the kitchen was warm and inviting, and felt lived in, he hadn’t ever been upstairs and his time in the den had been limited. Mostly he and Snow and Neal had come for dinner and had gone back home, sometimes they retired to the living room but not very often.

Emma was with her back to him starting the expensive looking coffee machine and he hovered awkwardly wondering what to do, what to say. What could he say that he and Snow hadn’t already said? Why did she do it? Why hadn’t she come home? Why wouldn’t she speak to them? Why was she with Regina? They had asked most of these questions over the months unanswered voice messages or the occasional short text in reply. They had to ask Henry how Emma was doing, as he was the only one she was speaking to, apparently they were mistaken.

“What do-“ He began only to be interrupted by Regina’s appearance in the kitchen. She looked like she had indeed been asleep, she was still in her pyjamas, light and loose clothing to keep her in as little pain as possible. Her hair was in need of a good brush, and a wash, but he thought he’d best not mention it.

“Pills,” she rasped and to Charming’s surprise Emma immediately offered what seemed like a pharmacy’s worth of pills to the brunette with a cup of coffee. The writing on the cup made him smile. It read “World’s Best Mum!”

Stiffly the brunette sat on one of her bar stools and nursing her cup of coffee she fixed him with a glare. Bleary with sleep and shrouded with pain it still conveyed the strength of the woman before him and he was reminded instantly of who she was.

“What’s the problem, Charming?” Her voice was husky and croaky with a combination of sleep and smoke damage.

“This morning’s paper, have you seen it?” He asked, before realising that no, she just got up, of course she hadn’t seen it.

Emma opened her hand and in a flare of smoke a rolled up paper appeared. She unrolled it silently before handing it over to the brunette.

The only reaction Regina had was to slowly lower the paper and take a small sip of her coffee. “I see,” she said formally. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.”

She was evidently trying to draw the shreds of her composure to her. “Unless…” she paused and David felt the gaze of two very powerful Dark magic wielders zeroing in on him. “You think I did it?” Regina sounded insulted, but it ill-disguised hurt.

Emma shifted from her position behind Regina and he was struck with the positioning of the two women. Emma had clearly taken a defensive and protective stance behind the Mayor, and if the way she was glaring at him at the perceived slight, she was very protective. Which made sense. Emma had always protected Regina, why would she stop as the Dark One? After all, it was how she became the Dark One in the first place.

“No,” David held his hands up in imitation of Tod the night before. “I know you didn’t do it.”

“Then why are you here?” Emma’s features, so similar to his own and Snow’s, bared no sign of affection, just polite interest.

“I wanted to warn you, and get ahead of anyone else…” He trailed off awkwardly but knew both women had understood his underlying message by the way they reacted.

Regina just leant back and breathed a sigh, louder than usual. But it was Emma that concerned him. Fire flared in her eyes and her presence seemed to full the entire room with shadows and malice. She was more than an ancient and malevolent power bound by steel, but in that moment he didn’t recognise his daughter, he knew he was facing the Dark One.

“If anyone enters this house, they die,” she growled in promise, and the air around her skin rippled black. Dark Magic.

“Enough, Miss Swan. I am more than capable of protecting myself, if it comes to that.” Regina sounded annoyed and turned and gave the Dark One Saviour a look over her shoulder that had Emma blinking and shifting back with a grumble.

“I assume you need my statement of the night Rob-of the night of the fire?”

David nodded agreeably. “If you have a moment later on, pop in to the station. I just wanted to warn you.” He shrugged and glanced up where he knew his grandson to be sleeping.

“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” he said as he looked back at Regina.

The Mayor nodded, and she suddenly seemed tired, as though she were carrying a great weight on her shoulders. Emma hovered next to her as though to say or provide comfort but not knowing if her touch or words would be welcome.

“Okay,” David nodded and cast a glance at his daughter. She merely tilted her head in question and he figured she wasn’t about to leave Regina.

“What can Snow and I do?” What can Snow and I do to help you? To get you home? To understand? To get rid of the Darkness? He had so many questions and the only one with the answers was unwilling to give them. It tore him apart.

When she had been but a babe he had stroked Snow’s torso and whispered all the things he was going to teach her. Told her stories and practised his jokes. Even going so far as to tell her how he would scare any boyfriends off with his sword unless they were worthy of his baby girl. But he had never been there for her first step; heard her first word-he had bet on it being “Dada” while Snow was convinced it was gonna be her-; kissed her bruises; held her in his arms for her first pony ride; witnessed her first smile; threatened to beat up the first guy who had broken her heart.

He had missed a hundred milestones and he ached for them. More importantly he had missed being her protector as every father should be. He hadn’t kept her safe from the world and now his precious baby girl was the most infamous Dark being in all the realms and he couldn’t help her, he didn’t know how.

“Wait,” Emma offered simply in voice as cold and cruel as the harshest winter.

Wait for what, he didn’t know. But she had asked it of him, and this was something he could do. For as long as she needed him to.

“Okay, we can do that.”

Regina made a sound that would have been a snort on anyone but the former Queen.

David ignored her as she pointedly rustled the paper and went back to her reading of the article.

“Just… we love you. Let us know if you need anything.”

She gave a sharp nod of acknowledgement and David left the mansion feeling two pairs of eyes on him. He dialled Snow as he strode down the steps and told her what had happened, that Emma was at the mansion.

He was able to calm his wife down and even convinced her to stick with her normal schedule for the day. Regina didn’t need her hovering, and he didn’t know how Emma would take her presence. Snow wasn’t happy about it but he could sense relief in her voice when she admitted that getting her and Neal ready and over to the Mayor’s for the day would be difficult. He promised to keep her updated and continued on to the police station. Maybe he could solve this investigation before the townspeople decided to believe the paper and turn on Regina. She didn’t deserve their ire and fear for this.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The bright red of the Storybrooke Fire Station engines caught the reflection of the fire curling its way into the sky.

David just stared at the fire and internally bemoaned his current position. The paperwork alone would be atrocious, and Regina certainly didn’t need even more work on her plate. The Storybrooke Mirror was on fire. The entire building was bellowing thick acidic smoke through the smashed windows like a rolling black cloud. The amber lights from the flashing fire engines were dull in comparison to the fire. The flames themselves were hungry, a bright yellow darkening to red and orange as it spread from the epicentre. It hissed and spat and crackled, tearing through the wooden building with a glee, falling upon printing presses, desks, office supplies with a roar. Large jets of water fell weakly upon the flames from the two engines.

Ribbons of a darker, angrier red were lapping at the smoke, carrying it further into the sky. The fire engines were torn between trying to smother the fire and protecting the buildings on either side. The evacuated employees were barricaded a ways back, watching as their work place and their neighbours’ workplace went up in flames. Some were covered in soot or crying, but mostly they were watching in silence as the fire tore through their neighbourhood. A few of them even had their cell phones out recording the entire thing, trying to get a good angle around Tod and Ruby.

The fire department was scrambling to contain the fire when there was a loud crack and Regina Mills emerged from the middle of nowhere. It was her first Monday back at work since the first fire and she didn’t look all that impressed as she examined the latest event to strike her town. Striding forward - in heels far too high for a woman who should still be in bed recovering- she lifted her hands with one arm coated in plaster, and purple fire fell from her palms.

The skeletal framing of the building was silhouetted against the bright orange and yellow of the flames and was soon coated in purple. A large dome formed over the building, glinting with veins of purple, and held. David moved forward through the firefighters as they obediently fell back to let Regina do her thing. The water hoses were still going and with Regina’s dome and the relentless water supply the fire was soon left as a smouldering, mutinous mess of smoke, embers, and burnt wood.

Regina was trembling when she finally lowered her hands and she swayed dangerously for a moment, and he thought he might have to catch her but she righted herself. She drew herself up, almost like she was inhaling her strength and power before turning and casting it across her shoulders, cloaking her with her armour; the Mayor, their unyielding leader. The Queen.

“I want a report on my desk by this afternoon, David,” she instructed and then turned her gaze on the approaching fire chief. “I expect a full report no later than the end of the week.”

The fire chief was smiling at the Mayor and he ducked his head in acknowledgement. “Aye, Maj-Madam Mayor. You’ll have it by Friday.”

“Gentlemen,” she nodded her head and then waved her hands and slowly disappeared in a plume of smoke, not dissimilar to the fire she had just put out.

“What do you think?” Ruby asked as she came forward, having come to the scene as soon as David had called for her help. She and Tod had evacuated the surrounding buildings and kept the people away from the flames.

“We have a lot of cleaning up to do,” grunted the fireman. He sighed. “Hopefully there isn’t another fire any time soon, our resources can’t handle it.”

His people were already moving around the area ensuring the fire was out and preparing the site for their examiner. “Let’s hope this guy waits a week, hopefully two, before he sets another one.”

He had David and Ruby’s immediate attention. “Sets another one?”

“You think a building like this just goes up in flames?” He shook his head. “Checked the sprinklers myself last week. They should have contained it more than they did, if they did. We’ll see when we get the report back.”

“It does seem suspicious that the other two buildings didn’t have any damage,” Ruby offered and drew the men’s attention to the two flanking buildings. Untouched by flame, if not a little damp and smoking slightly.

“We got here in time to get water on those two,” said a husky voice and they turned to see a dark skinned woman with wild hair approaching in full uniform with her helmet under her arm. “The fire looks like it started in the middle of the building, somehow it was kept contained to the centre and burnt its way from the middle outward. Thankfully. Otherwise we’d be faced with a bigger mess.”

She turned her dark eyes on the fire-chief and flashed her dimples. “Mayor fixing the bill, Boss?”

“We’ll discuss it with her later. I want a prelim report by,” he glanced down at David’s wrist and he tilted it so the clock face was showing. “Three, if you can manage it.”

A cocky smile lit her features. “You got it.” She flashed Ruby a grin and then sauntered back to the rest of the team.

“All right. Let’s get to work!”

David, Ruby, and Tod divided up the witnesses for reports and spent the rest of the day interviewing them and piecing together the story. By the time David was meeting the chief and his second in command his heart was heavy. He knew what the firefighters were going to say before they passed on the news. Witness collaborated that a person had been seen entering the building, pulling the fire alarm, and then going into the basement. As the employees obediently, and reluctantly abandoned the building, the sprinklers cut into life before shutting off with a groan. Then the smoke coming from the basement had convinced any stragglers that there was indeed a fire. It was an act of arson.

“Gee. I wonder who we know that’s a pyromaniac.”

The group turned to face the speaker; a pale, weedy woman, with greying hair and a large purse. She looked like she had just sucked on a lemon as she drawled, “Funny how only the arrival of the Mayor solved the issue.” She wasn’t laughing. Her blue eyes glinted like steel and she bared her teeth in a snarl. “Of course, there’s absolutely _no_ coincidence between the forest _fire_ and this one,” she said pointing a bony finger to the burnt building. “Oh wait!” She started in fake surprise…. “The _Mayor_ ,” she sneered, “showed up then as well.”

“I’m sorry. You are?” Ruby asked when neither David nor the firefighters were willing to speak.

“Lady Tremaine,” the woman sniffed and straightened, peering over at Ruby haughtily. “The owner of this establishment. And I demand the Mayor be brought in for questioning!” Her voice was clearly angled to carry across to the remaining citizens and she had achieved her goal when they frowned and started to mutter amongst themselves.

“Regina didn’t do this,” David defended. In all honesty on reflection he should have left it at that and escorted the woman from the scene, but his urge to defend his family was greater. “She was injured in the first one. What would she have to gain from setting these fires?”

He knew he had made a mistake when Lady Tremaine smiled, malicious and cold. “I’m glad you asked.”

She then proceeded to list all of Regina’s crimes, one’s she knew of and ones David was certain she was making up, then she discussed Robin. “Now, if you had thought your wife had died and you had moved on with the woman whom had killed her, and then you realise what a monster your new girlfriend is when you get your wife back from the dead and then you reject said monster…”

Her tone was haughty and smug. “Well! Of course she had motive! Her “Soul Mate”,” she had even done the bunny-ears-as-quotation-marks-sign, “left her for his wife! Even though she wasn’t his wife, but that’s not the point. A perfect cover up! And I know that the forest fire was started by magic!”

David went still as the firefighters shifted on their feet. “How do you know that?” He asked quietly.

“Nah-ah, Sheriff,” she purred. “I have to maintain the integrity of my profession! But do you deny it?!”

“No,” he sighed and the woman flashed him a brilliant smile as Ruby finally moved to escort her from the scene.

“Thank you, Sheriff,” she looked like the metaphorical cat that had gotten into the cream.

She didn’t offer any protest as Ruby guided her back under the police barrier and it would be the next day when he realised why.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Perhaps a song that was the theme song for the film starring her recently departed rival wasn’t the best of ideas in her pursuit of Regina. But, in all honesty, it was an amazing song and lets face it, everything she did was for Regina. _And_ , Lily added, _the film version was much better looking_.

 _Besides_ , said another of her foster parents. _Theme songs out-grew their films. Titanic anyone?_

 _Or that sexy, rugged guy that looked like the old Sheriff in that romantic 50 Shades movie_.

Mh, the fact that foster mother number three was fond of that dreadful movie spoke volumes, but Emma wasn’t really surprised. But she had to agree, the song was awesome! She wasn’t really sure why the peanut gallery was discussing this with her, but it was a welcome relief from their constant demands that she do something violent.

She wasn’t going to go live on air tonight. She had pre-recorded the song she wanted and hoped to be in the same room with Regina when it was sung. If Henry were present and saw her there-there-by ensuring she wasn’t Romeo-well that would be a bonus. Besides, she needed to protect Regina.

The towns people had had mixed reactions over this morning’s article. Some were sceptical about the entire thing, but by that evening, when news of the second fire had spread like wildfire-she giggled to herself at the pun-then they had begun to get suspicious. David had tried to reassure the people they were looking for the person or persons responsible for both events via the radio station as the paper was down, and had been sure to add that Regina was helping them with the investigation.

Still, some people had immediately started to think ill of Regina, and that wasn’t acceptable. They feared her, and when their fear was over they turned to anger, anger at their weakness for feeling their fear, so turned on the pre-determined scape goat. The Evil Queen.

Regina had born the suspicious looks and cutting remarks for much of her life and didn’t need more, but so far no one had believed enough to approach the Mayor. Which meant that no one had come to the house and Emma hadn’t been force to terminate any threat that they may possess. Permanently.

Feeling her thoughts take a darker turn she checked over her set up one last time.

Setting up the call was easy. She _was_ the Dark One. She had spelled her cell to dial the station at nine fifty seven. Then she had recorded herself speaking to Jeremy as though she were really there. It wasn’t difficult. Much of their conversations were scripted and that she was reluctant to engage in further conversation only made it easier. Her recordings went like this. “Jeremy.” Then there was a three and a half minute gap followed by her song.

Then the spell on her cell would terminate and they call would end. Hopefully everything would go down without a hitch.

Taking a final look at her set up she locked her door and ensured her Wards were up to discourage access to it and vanished. She re-appeared on the door step and knocked. Henry answered the door, grinning when he saw who it was.

“Hey, Emma!”

He let her into the house and she obediently removed her shoes and sat them on the rack by the door before moving through the hallway and into the kitchen, Henry popping back into the den to his game.

“Emma,” Regina looked exhausted and she was moving in stiff controlled movements, far from her usual grace and flow. The Dark One appraised the kitchen before immediately moving to wash her hands and pick up the carrots and peeler. Judging by the ingredients on top of the counter she was preparing taco’s for the family. A mince concoction was bubbling on the stove and there was lettuce and cheese already prepared, and Regina was currently slicing a tomato.

A tray of taco shells were over by the oven and she could see a light on indicating it was heating.

With a huff of frustration Regina lowered her knife to the wooden board and stared at the mess of tomato she had made. An arm in a cast didn’t make for a smooth and evenly cut tomato.

“Let me,” Emma interrupted as Regina moved to wave her hand and she could feel the Mayor’s faint magic building in response to her intentions.

Dark eyes met hers for a moment before she nodded and with a wave of her own hand she sliced the second and third tomatoes perfectly. She caught Regina’s eyes for a moment and then went back to her peeling of the carrots.

Regina drew support from the counter by the oven as she stirred some spices into the mince.

“Do anything exciting today?”

Emma blinked and was instantly returned to the moment she had set the building on fire; feeling the flames lap hungrily at her skin, hear it turn from a hissing kitten to a wild and angry tiger, and shook her head. “No. You?”

“I put out another fire today. One of the buildings down town.”

Emma was angry. “You shouldn’t use your magic so soon! It’s not back to its full strength!” Both the Dark One and her were in agreement on that. Regina was theirs. She was not to go out and get herself hurt, and using her magic certainly was hurting. A quick check of Regina using her magic and she realised that the energy reserves the Mayor had regained while Emma had stood vigil over her had been depleted.

“I didn’t have another choice.” Regina wasn’t even angry, she was just tired and Emma felt her ire drain away, replaced by encompassing concern.

“Regina Fire Tamer,” she offered a few minutes into the silence that had entered the room after Regina’s defeated admission.

She was rewarded with a tired uplifting of Regina’s lips and felt the smile settle into her soul. She would spend forever trying to get this woman to smile.

“Regina Fire Dancer?”

“The Phoenix Queen?”

“Queen of Flames? Fire?”

“Flaming Queen?”

Her suggestions continued to get more and more elaborate and foolish but Regina’s smile remained, even when she rolled her eyes.

“Dark One indeed,” she muttered as she turned back to her mince. “More like Dork One.”

The Darkness in her was offended at the suggestion and immediately roared for retribution and she glared at Regina’s back as her magic welled at her finger tips, screaming to punish Regina for the offense. Regina was wearing a loose shirt which she had obviously ripped straight down the middle to allow her skin to breathe and Emma was distracted immediately. She could see the pink and inflamed skin where her burns were angry and peeled and red and then she was furious again. Regina had obviously cast a spell to cover her skin so that it wouldn't worry anyone else, but Emma could see it.

There was a growing pain in her hands and eventually she tore her eyes from Regina’s burnt skin to her own hand. Blood was dripping from between her fingers and dropping gently onto Regina’s perfect kitchen floor and Emma brought it up to her face with detached curiosity.

“Emma!”

She blinked up to see Regina staring at her hand, and the knife she was clenching into her skin, with a furrow to her brow. She immediately reached for her hand and Emma handed it over without the slightest reluctance.

“Why didn’t you stop?” She inquired as she eased the blade from Emma’s white, sparkly skin as gently as possible.

“I didn’t notice. I was distracted.” Regina was touching her! She could have sworn her heart stopped and then kick-started like she’d drunk four cans of energy drink and gorged herself on candy.

Purple fire gently coated the wound and Emma wanted to admonish Regina for the use of magic, but at the same time she didn’t want her to stop because she was running her fingertips lightly across Emma’s healed palm and it sent shivers through her body.

Regina must have felt or sensed the movement for she glanced up into Emma’s eyes and froze, running her fingertips in featherlike touches in Emma’s palm. Her eyes were like molten gold and a sunset swirled together in that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that people were always talking about. Emma felt her breath catch and was pretty sure at some stage she had stopped breathing, which made sense could her heart was pounding on the bars of its bone prison, roaring to be set free.

“Idiot,” Regina breathed and it was just the two of them in the world. Emma could stay here forever, living by the light in Regina’s eyes, drawn to it like she were a sailor in stormy seas and thunderous skies and she were a lighthouse, a beacon in the darkness. The insulting word would have resulted in the death or maiming of anyone but her family, and the way her lips curled around the word and her lips lifted in the smile shining from her eyes. Regina didn’t smile very much, especially not at or around Henry, but right now Emma was certain she was getting one of them and she was pretty sure the world tilted with the power of it. Her world certainly did.

Regina was magnetic. Maybe she was the Sun? Emma certainly thought she was, and with that smile, how could she not be Emma’s own personal sun?

Dark eyes glowed as they gently searched Emma’s own for something and the air in the room was charged, heavy with promise.

“Mum,” Henry called as he approached and Regina pulled back missing Emma’s eyes flash with fury at the interruption.

“Yes?”

“Roland’s crying again,” Henry sighed as he entered the kitchen and paused. “Why are you guys holding hands?” His brow was furrowed in confusion and Regina ripped her hands back and the world was a little colder for their absence from Emma’s.

Regina cleared her throat. “I was just healing Miss Swan’s injury.” She nodded to convince herself and then moved quickly from the room, hiding her discomfort as she moved by Henry and into the hallway. “Keep an eye on it, would you?”

“Why didn’t you heal your own injury?” Henry asked suspiciously as he obediently walked over to the stove and stirred the mince. It was nearly ready and he got the tray of taco shells and hesitated. “Are you staying for tea?”

Emma nodded and he smiled before adding a few extra shells to the tray and placed them in the oven to warm.

“I-your Mum wanted to look at it,” Emma responded and tried to settle her voice into something neutral.

“Mhkay,” Henry hummed in noncommittal agreement and then got four plates out of the cupboard.

“Are you drinking?” He peered into the fridge and then cast a glance over at Emma.

“Your Mum is on meds,” Emma said neutrally and Henry shrugged and grabbed the juice, figuring they could all drink that.

Emma pushed off the counter with her hip and picked up the small bowls with the ingredients in them and walked into the dining room. It hadn’t been set yet, but she solved that with a toss of her head and then lowered the ingredients onto the table.

“Are the coasters down?” Henry asked as he came in carrying the rest of the ingredients.

“Yup,” Emma said and made sure they were with a snap of her fingers.

“Don’t let Mum catch you,” he warned with a smile and exited back to the kitchen to grab the glasses and juice.

Their night continued on with good food and company, even if Emma was slightly stiff around so many people after being by herself for so long. Roland had been put to bed and now Henry, Emma and Regina were in the lounge watching a comic-turned-movie that Henry had chosen. Regina had taken her meds and had fallen asleep on the couch. Emma was slightly uncomfortable next to her, not wanting to touch her while she was vulnerable and asleep and not trusting herself to be right next to her. It was nearing ten o’clock when he started to fiddle with his cell. Soon _Jammin’ with Jeremy_ was being streamed from the device and into the room. Regina started awake and looked around to gather herself before forcing herself upright.

“ _All right guys! It’s ten o’clock and you know what that means!”_ Jeremy was still full of energy and he clicked over to allow Romeo to speak. There was a few moments pause.

“ _Romeo? You there?”_ Jeremy asked after the seconds stretched and still there was silence.

“ _Romeo?”_

Finally the first key stokes of a piano began the iconic pattern. Regina took a moment to register before she excused herself, claiming she was tired and the medication had her feeling funny, and retired to bed.

Emma and Henry watched her go concerned before Emma was on her feet and following the brunette up the stairs. Henry frowned disappointed and turned the radio off. Obviously his birth mother wasn’t Romeo.

Emma hesitated outside of Regina’s door before drawing her courage and knocking gently. She was playing some sort of music, soft enough that it would disturb any of the other house residents, but loud enough that she would have been able to hear the knock, or answer.

Conflicted Emma reached for the door handle before letting her hand fall back to her side. Go in, the devil on her shoulder urged. It might have been Lily. But a lifetime of doors closing on her meant she knew when she wasn’t wanted…but still…. This was Regina. What if she needed something? What if she was hurting? Decision made she opened the door slightly before slipping in through the gap. She closed the door gently and then looked over at the bed. The curtains had been mostly drawn but a sliver of light still shone across the woman curled under expensive sheets and Emma was pulled forward, helpless to deny her heart.

She pondered Regina’s charisma as she looked over the form hidden by layers and got on the bed. Regina started and turned to face her, face twisting in pain as her body protested the movement and her eyes were red and shining. Emma silently settled against the pillows next to her and rolled her right wrist, allowing herself to settle under the covers. She could feel Regina’s body heat here. It made her skin tingle with anticipation and the Darkness pressed against her skin, trying to get closer. Regina’s eyes were bright and though her face was slightly red and her hair tussled she was still the most beautiful woman Emma had ever seen.

They had a silent conversation. Emma claiming she wasn’t about to be kicked out, not when Regina needed a friend and Regina, wanting to be allow to cry. Eventually Emma lifted her arm in a silent gesture. It took Regina a moment, and the movement was painful and awkward with her broken arm and burns, but she soon settled against Emma’s side and let herself be held. She smelt like the gauze and paste she had to have on her burns but there was something distinctively Regina beneath it all and Emma felt content, like she could stay where she was for the rest of her life.

Emma had to wonder how often the woman in her arms had been held when she had needed it and realised it was about as often as she had been held when she needed it, which wasn’t very often. Regina’s body was shaking silently but she didn’t make a sound and Emma felt the darkness in her stir as she wondered how many times she had cried herself to sleep alone, and afraid to make a sound. She forced it down, simmering with fury but unwilling to do anything to compromise her current position and snuggled into the bed. It was the softest bed she had ever been on and she never wanted to leave. But that likely had something to do with the woman falling asleep in her arms. She could sleep on the ground with a rock for a pillow if it meant she had Regina in her embrace.


	5. Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma's protective streak goes a little too far. TW: Asphyxiation. Stabbing. Potential reference to non-con if you squint, and slight reference to Marital Abuse and Child abuse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should probably mention that Emma's behaviour shouldn't be viewed as romantic in the slightest- her intentions are good but (greatest good=greatest harm etc) she is the Dark One and her desires are twisted by Darkness. And we get enough of that BS in Canon already. Comments and criticisms are welcome. Enjoy the SQ Week works, I know I am :D
> 
> Also, I believe that there is a difference between the love a parent and a child share- I go into it slightly, but can expand if needed-which in no way negates what Henry and Emma, and Regina and Henry share-TLK. Just that the curse on an Adult is different to a curse on a child-Head Canon, though could be plausible I imagine.

 

It was a starless night. Shrouds of stormy dark clouds shielded the moon and stars from sight and there was a crisp breeze heralding showers to come. Her high school English teacher would have gone on about how this symbolises darkness, evil, and was an ominous sign. Which, she had to admit, was 100% accurate for one Lady Tremaine. Her boots thudded quietly on the street, muffled by the dark anticipation of what was to come. She wasn’t concerned about being seen. Storybrooke basically went into hibernation after dark, which did make her life easier. She could ride a unicorn down the middle of Main Street naked and covered in rainbow paint and no one would ever know.

Her target lived in a small street near the retirement village and had a white picketed fence and a tidy front garden. The house was silent as she stalked up the path, her footsteps quiet now, as though in preparation for what she was about to do.

Her journey to Darkness had had some unforeseen consequences, namely her awareness of self and complete honesty within. Which, let’s face it, made her realise she was in love with Regina but also made her aware of her faults, and then tried to use them against her. But, she considered as she strode up the steps, this wasn’t her fault. This bitch, her features twisted into a snarl, should have kept her mouth shut, but she didn’t, and so she had to be punished.

It had been an eventful week. First the Mirror had published the article pointing the finger at Regina for setting the forest fire. Then in retribution Emma had set the building on fire, destroying the equipment that had been used to hurt Regina. Regina had come to the rescue and had saved the building, at great personal risk and Emma was still seething over the depletion of her magical reserves, really the woman should be in bed resting-preferably with Emma, but that wasn’t the point. The next day there had been an article claiming to have evidence of Regina’s arson, very convincing evidence-how Lady Tremaine had learnt that the fire had been started by magic Emma didn’t know, yet. And there was a quote-which David assured the public had been taken out of context- from the Sheriff basically confirming that Regina was a suspect in the arson and murders and that his own affection for the brunette was keeping him from arresting her.

To Henry and Emma’s dismay the Mayor had tilted her chin imperiously and had walked without fear back to work and had continued in her duties, regardless of the pain she must have been in and how weak she was. Emma had hovered just out of sight, but always within reach, terrified someone would try to hurt her and bristling every time the phone rang or someone had to speak with the Mayor in case they did. Regina had even agreed to go into the station to re-give her statement of both incidences, the Deputy seemed to be…reluctant to accept her truth and Emma had resolved to keep an eye on him. She had been constantly on edge and when she learned that Lucy intended to write another scandalous article and put it online, well, she had to act. If she were dead, she couldn’t write hurtful things about her Regina. So really, the bitch deserved to die.

And honestly, living alone at the end of a silent street full of old people-there was literally a sign warning about the “aged”- was recipe for dying, if this were a movie. Unfortunately for Lady Tremaine it wasn’t a movie and she wasn’t the designated dumb, blonde white girl with big boobs who would survive the serial killer, which, for some unknown reason wanted to kill her. It was her mouth, Emma decided as she came to the locked front door and waved her hand over the lock, gaining entry into the house.

In those films those girls wouldn’t shut up. _Oh, please don’t kill me, please_. They would beg. Ugly, fat tears streaming down their face, make-up smudged and mascara running. And then they would scream, and it wasn’t the good kind of scream that heralded a climax. No. It was a dumb, hair raising scream that shouldn’t have been able to come from their lungs, as compressed by obnoxious breasts that they were, and by the running through the house or street or park in a short skirt and heels that they were doing. Really!

Emma paused next to a large glass cabinet in the hallway and stared aghast at the hideous plates and bowls that were proudly displayed as though they were some kind of expensive china. She’d be doing the world a favour, Emma thought and her silent companions agreed with her.

_She’s a bitch anyway,_ Lily spoke up. _Who locks their step-daughter in an attic and makes her do chores. I hate chores_. So did Emma. But she considered that maybe she hadn’t actually locked Cinderella in the attic… the Book did get things very wrong.

Shrugging it off she continued silently through the house and moved down the hallway to a closed door. She eased it open and peered inside before shutting it gently. Study. She opened another two doors to find a storage cupboard and a spare bedroom. The next door was a bathroom. The final door was at the end of the hall and a malicious smile curled across her lips.

Subtlety. Yay or nay? Nay, she decided and lifted her leg up and slammed it into the door sending it reeling and snapping back against the door stop before flying back at her. She lifted her arm in imitation of a block and her magic shielded her, the door shattering as it came into contact with her power. In the middle of the room Lady Tremaine jerked up in her bed, head turning wildly as she sought to identify the disturbance.

“Good evening, Lucy,” the Dark One said politely as she stepped over the remains of the door, shards creaking under her boots as she flicked on the light. “I’d like to have a little chat.”

Lady Tremaine gaze a squeak of terror and launched herself at her cell phone which was resting on her bedside table.

“Now, now,” chuckled the Dark One and with a flick of her wrist the cell phone appeared between Emma’s pale fingers.

“Ge-get out! I don’t want to talk to you!” The terrified woman clutched her sheets up to her chin as though they could protect her.

“No need for that.” She sauntered closer to the bed with the grace of a predator. “And you don’t want to talk?” Faux hurt laced the Dark One’s cold and cruel voice as her eyes glinted maliciously. “But you seem to love it so!”

Power was humming beneath her skin and Emma took a moment to taste the woman’s fear on the air and closed her eyes momentarily in rapture.

“Actually…that _is_ what I am here to discuss,” she drawled and then summoned a seat to appear at the foot of the bed and draped herself over it, flicking her hand at each of the woman’s wrists and binding her to the bed. A piece of the Darkness purred at the action, shivering in anticipation and she shoved that part of it down, she wasn’t here for that.

Fear coated the back of her tongue and the Darkness rejoiced at the taste and she moistened her lips before turning the full power of her gaze on the frightened woman.

“What do you want?” She cleared her throat and seemed to gain strength as she continued. “You are breaking and entering! Let me go! I want you gone!”

“And I want you silenced…..” she let out in a venomous hiss and let the tension in the room build. “Permanently.” Emma rose fluidly to her feet and was next to the bed in a heartbeat and lifting Lucy from her bed by the neck, waving off the bindings.

Her captive’s heart was thudding against her hands and she brought her close, she wanted to see the light fade from her eyes, feel the final pulse of her heart.

The woman’s hair fell across her shoulders and was across her lips, puffing forward with each laboured breath. She was struggling now, clawing at the leather of her long sleeves and kicking out at anything she could reach. It reminded her of a fish on a hook, squirming back and forth, dangling helplessly in the air.

“I’ve been facing a dilemma,” Emma purred and tightened her grip. “You see Regina wouldn’t want me here, doing this.” Her smile was full of teeth, as friendly as a crocodiles. “But,” she pouted slightly, “word’s hurt, Lucy. And you hurt her,” her false smile vanished and she bared her teeth in a snarl. “And I don’t like it when people hurt Regina.”

Her face was turning red now, an ugly blotchy red and saliva was starting to pool at her lips. Disgusted by her face Emma tossed her back onto the bed, grey smoke curling around her wrists again and keeping her still as she panted harshly for breath.

“I know you thought you were doing the right thing, “exposing” the Mayor for who she truly is, but frankly-“Emma waited a moment to allow Lucy’s hacking coughs to subside. “- Regina doesn’t deserve you dragging her name through the mud with your pathetic little paper. It was all lies.”

“W-why,” Lucy coughed harshly and her breathing was laboured. Her face was slowly returning to its normal hue but the red marks around her throat were growing angrier and angrier. “Why do you care?” Her voice was raspy and Emma twitched as though to toss off an irksome fly.

“Well,” Emma said as she flicked her arm out behind her. “I know for a fact that Regina didn’t kill Robin.” One of Lucy’s kitchen knives came sailing through the air and she caught it between delicate fingers. She absently spun the blade between her fingers and let it play with the light and reflect it across the room.

“How,” Lucy swallowed and Emma tilted her head sharply as she continued her question. “How do you know that?”

“Because I killed him,” her voice was calm and cold as the most frigid winter, a lake of ice. Unyielding. Chilling. Death.

Lady Tremaine squirmed against her restraints. She looked surprised, almost shocked and the Darkness in her snarled. Why did these people think she was the same person that she was? She was better now. “Why?” It was clearly an attempt to keep her talking, a play for time for someone to rescue or, or to humanise her so that she didn’t actually go through with whatever Emma had planned for her. She sighed. She didn’t need the voices to tell her what was happening, and they were telling her quite loudly.

“Why did I start the bush fire? Why I killed Robin? Why I started the fire in your work building?” Her lips gained a cruel tilt and she gently shifted her head to the side. “Why I’m going to kill you?” It was almost gentle, kind, the way she said it, as though it was unfortunate that Lucy had to die.

Lucy was straining quite desperately against her bindings now and Emma lifted her hand to constrict her. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly and she started to scream for help.

“Heeeeeelp! Heeeeelp me! Heeeeeeeelp!”

Emma huffed a sigh and flicked her wrist out. The blade buried itself in the headboard next to the woman’s head and she froze in fear, glancing over to Emma.

“Shut up. Or I’ll cut your tongue out.”

_This is so cliché,_ Lily rolled her eyes. _Just end her already._

“Not yet,” Emma said. “I have to tell her why.”

“Who are you talking to?” The whites of Lucy’s eyes were showing and she could see the blood pumping through her veins, especially the one in her neck.

Emma flicked her wrist and the kitchen knife reappeared in her hand.

“Regina.” Emma said simply and then sighed, deeply and tiredly. “It’s always been Regina.”

“You’re acting as her dog!?” The metaphorical light bulb lit above Lucy’s head. “She’s controlling you to keep her hands clean!”

“No,” Emma drawled as she started to play with the knife again. “Regina isn’t controlling me. I’m doing this of my own free will,” she informed her captive archly.

“But….” Emma’s expression shifted slightly, contemplative. “It is all for her.”

“I knew what I was doing,” Emma said suddenly, animated in a way that she hadn’t been before. “The Darkness was surrounding her, taking her,” her eyes glinted and a sneer crawled across her features. “She is mine! It couldn’t have her! No one can.” Power was pressing against her skin, flaring in her eyes and rolling around in her body, getting stronger each time it hit against the walls she had containing it. The light started to flare, pulsing with the energy in the room and the curtains tore themselves open to reveal the silent street outside. She forced herself to calm down and the lights stopped flaring.

She sighed deeply. “No one can,” she repeated almost mutinously. Then she brightened again. “So I took the Darkness instead! And it opened my eyes! How could something so eye-opening be so bad?” She was almost talking to herself now. “How does one woo a Queen though? I don’t know. But all of the classics have the love interests serenading them up to the balcony,” this was directed at Lucy.

“And the forest hobo was just a distraction. A convenient Lion-tattoo distraction. He doesn’t get her like I do. And he can’t even shoot a bow! I mean, who needs a bow and arrow that never misses? At least earn your abilities, ya know? And he’s all about honour,” Emma snarled. “Because being a thief is honourable, he’s still a thief who needs a magical bow and arrow to steal from people. And it’s not like I meant to bring back Marian-Zelena,” Emma was frowning now. Lady Tremaine was struggling to follow the thread of conversation and the erratic behaviour change of the Dark One.

“But here he was acting like it was _such_ a hardship to choose one, of course Regina is the best choice. The only choice!” She was becoming more and more agitated, less the controlled cruelty of the Dark One, and more an unhinged addict. “And then he just comes back just like that!” Emma snapped her fingers and Lucy flinched but the now irate Dark One didn’t notice. “And expects to play happy family with his son, _my_ son, and my Regina! How is that even fair?!”

Emma started to pace, her dark figure gliding across the floor before turning with a timeless grace and then stalking back across the foot of the bed. “But then she just accepted his explanations…. What else could I do? The pirate was a distraction, I know that now. I couldn’t do anything when I was the Saviour,” her lip curled around the title. “But now,” she had frozen and was now staring at her hands as though she had never seen them before. There were a few red marks from Lucy’s nails but mostly there were gouges in the leather of her sleeve. The knife was hovering in the air above them, allowing her to look at the lines etched into her palms and the calluses on her fingers.

“Now I am free. The Darkness set me free, made me understand. I can take what I want now. I’m free to act on what I want, for the first time in my life. No rules, no regulations, no terms, no parents, no ‘Save us Saviour!’ or ‘You’re the saviour! Give us our happy ending!’” Her face was twisted into fury and her voice rose until she was shouting. “What about _my_ Happy Ending? What about what I want?”

Then she was calm again, the eerie peace in the eye of a hurricane. “I thought about how to take her heart, and figured she would like the classics. But I’d have to ease her into it, make her see what I couldn’t tell her. What if she didn’t feel the same? But then Jeremy bought up Henry, and I remembered how Robin had just moved into the mansion, expecting Regina to take him back and take care of his son. Then he left. He hurt her.”

Her movement was birdlike as she tilted her head and eyed the woman restrained on the bed, and took in her red throat and sweat soaked sheets and bed-clothes.

“So I set that fire. Made sure it surrounded the Merry Men’s camp. And when Regina went in to save them,” there was a slight twitch to her lips at the thought, for what though, Lucy didn’t know.

“I saved her,” a genuine smile spread across her lips at the memory before stilling and turning cold and a cruel smile lit her face, “and killed him. It wasn’t hard,” she was grinning now, as friendly as a crocodile, all teeth and malicious promise. “Movies make it look easy, ya know?” Lucy didn’t know, but she was nodding in agreement, anything to delay the inevitable, and keep humanising herself to the unstable, ancient, cruel power before her. “But with magic it is, it’s so easy.”

“Wait, so you’re the one who’s been singing across the radio?” Lady Tremaine scoffed in disbelief as she finally connected the dots of the fragmented conversation. “That’s pathetic,” she couldn’t help but sneer and then realised her mistake when cruel eyes narrowed in on her in fury.

“You’re right,” the Dark One muttered to herself after a moments of appraisal. “I need to up my game,” she nodded decisively. Lucy breathed a sigh of relief at her escape from immediate retribution.

“Flowers? Chocolates? No, cliché. And she doesn’t even know it’s me….” Emma was staring out the window at the street. The moon was peeking through the clouds now. “Maybe letters? Mh, she’s old school so that would probably work…”

“Maybe I could do it in person…. But then she’d realise, and she doesn’t love me yet.” She was frowning unseeing through the window before blinking and drawing back to herself.

“But that doesn’t matter, because you won’t be there to see it. You’ll never write mean things about her ever again.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I swear! Please, just let me go.” Her bravado from earlier when Emma’s attention had been drawn inward had faded and she was again terrified for her life.

It must be exhausting, Emma thought and then decided to free her from her exhaustion. The knife dropped into her open hand she sauntered forward, Lucy straining against her bonds, squirming the best she could against the magic.

“No one ever protected Regina,” she said suddenly as she came up to the bed and stared down at the terrified eyes of her next victim. “But I can...” she trailed off as she glanced to the blade in her hand before her voice came again. Firmly. “I will.” If this were a movie it would show the flash of the knife, the jerking of a body, and then maybe a spray of blood or a pool of it staining the sheets, or maybe it would be more graphic, depending on the rating. But it wasn’t a movie and when Emma had finished protecting Regina she silently exited the house and vanished back into the night. The only witness to the murder of Lady Tremaine was the moon, and it turned its face into the veil of clouds to maintain its silence.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Regina sighed in relief as her pain killers finally, _finally_ , kicked in. It was Friday and she was looking forward to the weekend, mostly to going to bed and staying in bed. Though she put on a brave front, and indeed, had used magic to cover her injuries so that they appeared much better than they were, she was exhausted; mentally, physically, emotionally, and magically. The worst of the burns didn’t cause her pain, and she was no fool, she knew that that was not a good thing. The lesser burns were the ones that ached, gnawed at her nerve endings, and her broken arm caused vague discomfort, a dull throbbing she was familiar with. She hadn’t been sleeping, she wasn’t interested in the shakes and smoothies that she had to drink because her throat couldn’t yet handle solid foods, and she was sick of being in so much pain and unable to take as many pills as she would like.

Rolling her shoulder in discomfort she went back to her report. The police and fire departments had delivered her requested reports at three o’clock, just as she had asked, and she had spent the last half hour fighting a headache as she went over them. They reports stated that a person, tall and slender with a black hoodie and glasses had walked into the building and had pushed the fire alarm before vanishing into the basement. The annoyed employees had obeyed their training and had filed out of the building, the stranglers were the ones to report the smoke, and a report by one Harold Phillips indicated that the arsonist and paused on their approach back up the stairs before waving and then ducking out one of the other doors. Searches of the area for the arsonist had been unsuccessful. The arsonist had disabled the sprinklers manually, turned the valve off completely, shutting the water access down, but they had waited until the building had been evacuated, or in the process of evacuation, before they had set the fire, which indicated a reluctance to kill.

But it did leave the question as to why the arsonist had set the building on fire. But, she considered as she lowered the report onto her desk, she didn’t have the answers to that, and frankly she was far too tired to deal with it at the moment. It would keep until Monday. She powered down her computer and gathered her belongings, ignoring her body’s painful protests. As she stepped from her office she caught her assistant engrossed on her computer and felt her curiously pique, her work wasn’t that interesting so she silently, for a woman in heels, moved to her desk and peered around at the screen. When she saw the article her jaw clenched and she cleared her throat pointedly. Her assistant nearly gained air time as she jerked in her seat and spun to see Regina staring at her with an arched brow.

“Ah! M-mayor Mills! I was- I was just…um…”

Regina settled back on her heels and decided to be merciful to the poor girl. “The city doesn’t pay you to read trashy articles online, Miss Roberts.” Well, maybe not that merciful. “Do that in your own time, or you’ll have plenty of time to do it while you search for another job.”

“O-of course, Mayor Mills. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” Her relief was visible and Regina internally rolled her eyes before she swept from the hall. The Benz was parked in her normal spot and she absently noted how dirty it was getting and weighed the pros and cons of cleaning it as she approached. Eventually she decided she would have to let it be as she wasn’t even remotely healthy enough to attempt it.

As she drove back to the mansion she ran through the list of tasks she wanted to complete before the night was out, mainly she needed to pay her bills and cook and clean-up after dinner. She had left a steak out to defrost and was hoping to make a mushroom and cream sauce, with a variety of vegetables. She needed them, perhaps more than Henry did.

Roland was with the Merry Men and Henry was with the Charming’s. They had arranged for him to go home with his Grandmother from school and then get dropped off by David during his patrol while Regina was still at work. It was something they had done while Regina was searching for answers for Emma and hadn’t wanted Henry alone. Most nights he had crashed at the Loft as Regina was too distracted and busy to feed him and make sure he did his school work or was on time. She felt a familiar stab of guilt at the thought and physically shook her head to rid herself of the negative feelings. Henry had understood and even encouraged her tunnel vision, and they were spending time together like a normal mother and son now.

She pulled into her drive way and parked the car, gathering her belongings before striding up the driveway and opening the door. As she shut it behind her she gave a great sigh of relief and sagged against the wood exhausted. “Hey.”

Regina’s head jerked up and she stared startled at Emma Swan as she leant against the railing at the top of the stairs. She was wearing black yoga pants and a black hoodie with the hood up, covering her hair, which from the looks of it was down. She looked like Emma, but she didn’t. The regality she had as the Dark One, the pale skin emphasising her cheekbones and fine facial features, looked out of place in casual clothing.

“Hey,” she responded dryly and straightened, refusing to allow the woman whom had held her as she cried herself to sleep see any more of her weakness. The woman saw her movement and accurately guessed the motive behind it, if the small smile was anything to go by, but she didn’t comment on it.

“I wasn’t sure what vegetables you wanted, or how you wanted them done,” Emma offered and looked unsarcastically nervous for being the Dark One. “But I peeled some carrots and cut the potatoes into chips,” she grinned now, a hopeful smile that _belonged_ to Emma Swan, not the Dark One.

“I see,” Regina left her bag on the doorway table next to a pile of letters and began to climb the stairs. “And why do you think I will be feeding my son those artery clogging sticks of carbs?”

“The Kid needs a treat. I got cookie dough ice-cream,” Emma said as she turned her head to watch Regina make her way stiffly up the stairs. “He’s a growing boy and needs the energy. And,” her eyes narrowed in thought, “You love him so you want to-“

“-To clog his arteries with fat?” Regina lifted a brow as she swept past Emma and walked towards her room. The blonde pushed off the railing and followed her.

“Yeah-no,” she could hear the pout in Emma’s voice as she vanished into her walk in closet leaving Emma hovering by the door. “No, because that would be bad. You just want to treat him occasionally because he had a hard week at school.”

“And the fact that cookie dough ice-cream is your favourite and not Henry’s has nothing to do with the fact that it’s now in my freezer?” She ducked her head around the door so she could fix the sheepish looking blonde her signature glare.

“Kid needs to broaden his horizons,” Emma offered with a grin and it _was_ Emma Swan in the oversized hoodie and yoga pants. “Strawberry is unoriginal.”

Regina gave a long suffering sigh as she gather her clothes and dumped them into the hamper on the inside of her closet, fighting a smile. She knew Emma would be looking hopefully in her direction, could hear her nerves as she rocked back and forth on her feet on the wooden floor.

“Have you done all of your homework?” Regina asked in jest.

“Yup!” Emma was playing along. “I’ve done aaaall of my homework! And yesterdays. And tomorrows.”

Finally changed Regina moved around the corner to see a goofy grin on Emma’s face. “And your chores?”

“Those too,” Emma was smiling gently now, like she had seen something pleasing, and Regina had to fight the urge to mirror her.

“If you eat all of your greens,” she offered, waiting for the reaction.

Emma smile fell immediately. “But I don’t wanna!” She whined, though there was a glint of amusement in her eyes, a flare of light in the dark.

Regina couldn’t contain her giggle and lifted her hand to her mouth to hide it. The blonde was pouting just as Henry had when he was a child and wanted desert without finishing his vegetables.

Emma was grinning again, seeming smug, the aura around her radiating with it.

“I wondered where Henry had gotten that from,” she informed Emma as she moved back across the floor towards the door. “That pout could fell normal men. Thankfully, I am a Queen,” she tilted her chin arrogantly, her expression carefully blank before it cracked at her lips and she smiled.

“Yes, you are.”

Regina blinked curiously at Emma, wondering as to the tone and the emotion behind it, but shook it off when Emma suddenly moved back into the hallway.

Feeling as though she had missed something, though not sure what, she followed the blonde back down the stairs and into the kitchen to prepare the meal, ignoring her own discomfort.

The two moved around the kitchen in silence, comfortable and at ease in a way they had never truly been with someone else. After a while Regina nudged Emma aside with her hip and the blonde stayed in the corner, sipping her pineapple juice and watching as Regina moved fluidly around her domain.

The mushroom and cheese sauce was approaching crescendo and the vegetables were ready to be dished when the sound of the door closing broke the peace. Emma’s head snapped up and she offered Regina a small smile before vanishing in grey smoke. The kitchen felt cooler now, and Regina frowned for a moment at the thought before lifting her eyes to smile a welcome to her teenage son.

“Hey Mum. Smells good,” Henry slid onto one of the bar stools and snatched a carrot stick of the wooden chopping board.

“Hello Henry,” her voice was warm. “Thankyou. How was school?” She was rinsing a plate over the sink when she noticed Emma’s glass. Keeping her back towards Henry as he began to tell her about his average day she quickly put it in the sink and out of sight. She hated pineapple juice, and Emma and occasionally Henry were the only ones to drink it, which was why she had to keep on buying it ever since Emma moved in.

She waited a moment for a break in Henry’s story before asking him to set the table, to put his shoes on the rack, and to put his school bag in his room. Slightly sheepish the teen obeyed and while he was gone she quickly served a third plate for Emma, making a point of it to include greens, and hid it in the microwave. When he came back down he was tapping on his phone and she wondered what had caught his interest but figured he would wait to tell her if he wanted to.

Their tea was routine. Henry practically inhaling the meal amid groans of pleasure while Regina took delicate bites of hers, smiling, glowing, each time Henry complemented her. She asked for clarification on some of his homework, his classes, and inquired about his friends.

“Oh, yeah!” Henry turned wide brown eyes on his mother and she knew he was about to ask her something. Maybe he wanted a new console game, or perhaps another comic.

“Can I go to the movies tonight? With Nick, Eva, Paige, Phil, and Tim?” His eyes were beseeching and Regina carefully swallowed and lowered her utensils as she chewed.

“Please,” Henry added as an afterthought. “It’s the new Marvel movie!”

“What time does it start and when does it finish?” Regina asked, dark eyes on her excited son.

“Eight thirty, but we wanted to go for ice-cream first, and Paige’s dad is okay to drop everyone home.”

Regina’s eyes flicked over to the clock on the wall. It was seven twenty-three. “When do you want to leave?” Henry beamed at her permission to attend.

“Thanks Mum!” Then he faltered slightly and looked at the table and then at his lap where she knew his cell was but didn’t comment on it as he hadn’t been texting through the meal.

“Ah, um, Emma’s…” He trailed off and Regina’s eyes caught him as he fidgeted. “Emma said she’d take me…”

Regina nodded slowly and reached for her glass of water. “You’ve been talking to her?” She asked after taking a sip and Henry suddenly looked worried.

“I know she came to dinner the other night, and that was cool, but she wasn’t her. And it’s just been through texts, she doesn’t answer when I ring her.” Henry frowned, brow puckered in thought before it smoothed out. “I think being around us made her unbalanced, and that’s why she hasn’t come back. But I asked her if she could take me to the movies and she said yes…”

Suddenly Henry wasn’t sure if he should be telling his mum this, sure he had two of them but he knew which one was the alpha mum, Emma wasn’t stepping on that territory any time soon. Maybe he would be hurting her feelings by asking Emma before asking her, but he wants Emma to feel normal, the rationale came pouring out of him in a rush until Regina held up her hand to halt him.

“Henry,” she said gently. “Breathe.” Henry did as instructed and then looked at his mother curiously.

“I don’t mind that you asked Emma to take you to the movies and you are right in wanting to make the situation as normal as possible.” Henry sensed a ‘but’ coming and he was right. “But pretending that this is normal… isn’t going to help in the long run. It isn’t normal,” she smiled wryly. “Normal for us, anyway. Miss Swan is the Dark One and while she might need stability pretending that nothing is wrong isn’t the answer.”

Henry was frowning in confusion and opened his mouth to protest. “I know that you enjoyed her coming for tea, and the movie, but we do need to address her…affliction?” Regina’s voice lifted as she considered how to explain where she was coming from. “I am partly responsible for that,” she willingly took the blame. “I’m not 100% right now and am too tired for a confrontation, too tired to be a pillar of support that she will need, but when I am better, we will be discussing it.”

Henry was trying to follow along. “So pretending nothing is wrong isn’t good for Emma long term? Then what do we do? How do we get rid of the Darkness? True-loves kiss?” His eyes were looking to her for all the answers, shining with hope and she felt her heart clench.

“You don’t need to do anything,” Regina said gently and reached her hand across the table to offer it to Henry, smiling when he took it. “You just have to be you. Her son. Our son,” she squeezed his hand.

“True Love’s Kiss could work,” she offered, not wanting him to lose faith, but also uncertain that what Emma and Hook had was True. “But if Miss- Emma- wanted to see Hook, she would have. And I have no doubt that he would be more than willing to try to break the curse,” her lips tightened in distaste and her eyes narrowed. “But sweetheart, we have to consider what Emma wants as well. Not just what we want for her.”

“What do you mean?” Henry was confused. If Hook and Emma shared TLK-which, ew- then he would get his mother back and they could all go back to being a family and then he and Emma could continue Operation Mongoose and make his mum happy.

“Emma has to want to be free of the Darkness, and I knew better than anyone how hard that is, but it has to be her decision. When she comes to us for help, if she comes to us for help, then we will. But she has to make that choice.”

Henry nodded slowly. “Okay, so what do we do?”

“We show Emma that she is loved, for who she is, Darkness, terrible taste in clothes and vehicles, and all.” Henry and Regina shared matching grins at the mention of Regina’s distaste for the Bug.

“And food,” Henry’s nose wrinkled. “Who doesn’t like strawberry ice-cream?”

Laughing softly Regina sent her son to go get ready and listened to his footfalls up the stairs before slumping in her chair with a barely concealed groan of pain.

“You should take your meds and go to bed.”

Regina started slightly at the abrupt appearance of the Dark One before gaining her composure.

“How much of that did you hear?”

Emma shrugged, but held out a full glass of water and a bunch of pills with the other.

“I have responsibilities, Miss Swan,” she said as she took a careful sip of her own water, eyeing the pills with distaste. Those ones made her feel sleepy and groggy, and basically knocked her out for the night. She didn’t like taking them, didn’t like the way they made her feel.

“It’s not that I don’t like strawberry ice-cream, I’ll eat it if it’s there, but there are so many better flavours.”

She tilted her head to the side. “What could be more important than your health?”

“I need to clean up. I want to pay the bills, I want to-“

Emma waved her hand and Regina faltered, her eyes narrowing in fury before they began to flutter and gently closed. Her head lolled back in the chair and she slumped forward but Emma materialised next to the chair and caught her before she fell to the floor.

She gently lifted the unconscious Mayor into her arms and teleported them to Regina’s room. Changing her with magic and slipping her under the covers. She left her medication on the nightstand with a glass of water and then vanished to re-appear in the dining room. Waving her hand she stored the leftovers in containers and sent them to the fridge, she cleaned the dishes and wiped the table. Then she strode towards the kitchen, calling her magic to her fingertips, keeping an ear out for Henry thumping about upstairs. She did the same motion with her hand here and within moments the kitchen was spotless, with everything in its proper place. As she walked past the microwave she saw the plate that Regina had made up for her and felt a wave of warmth flare in her chest.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Henry clattering down the stairs and in an instant she was transformed into Regina, wearing the exact clothing the Mayor had worn before she had been put to bed. Grabbing a drying towel she opened the cupboard and retrieved a plate, pulling away from the cupboard as Henry bounced into the kitchen, ready to go.

“Hey Mum, Emma said she’d be here at ten to eight.”

“Okay,” Emma said as she made a show of putting the plate back into the cupboard and rested the towel over her shoulder. Henry looked at her weirdly but shrugged it off.

“Text me to let me know you are safe.” She figured that was something Regina would ask. There was a knock at the door and Henry grinned.

“Yup, I’ll let you know when we go into the movie. Bye!” He gave her a gentle one-armed hug and then bolted for the door. Emma waited until he was out of sight before summoning the Bug and appearing outside the house, thankful that no one was already there. Another burst of magic and she was herself. She wanted to make Henry feel like his life was as normal as possible so she was wearing jeans, a tank with an open flannel shirt over it and had a beanie on when she answered the door.

“Hey Emma!” His smile was infections and she felt something in her ribs clench at his youthful hope and innocence, and knew she would kill whoever it took to keep him safe and happy.

“Hello Henry.” She was careful to keep her voice measured and as close to her normal tone as possible. “Ready to go?”

“Yup!” Henry closed the door behind him and Emma waited until they were part way down the path before discreetly flicking her fingers at the door and locking it. Regina would be kept safe.

“What have you been doing?”

“Henry, we talked about this.”

Her son’s brow furrowed. “I know,” his voice lifted to a whine. “But you aren’t you, you can’t just pretend that everything is okay when it’s not!”

“What do you want me to tell you, Henry?” She could feel her ire rising, and with it the Darkness, but kept her voice steady so not to alert Henry to her increasing loss of grip of control. “That I spend every second of every day in a fight for control over my power? That I have visions of killing people in town, or hurting the people I love? That I’m too afraid to sleep at night in case I wake up surrounded by dea-” She clenched her jaw shut and closed her eyes, fists turning pale with the strain of keeping them at her sides. The Darkness was roaring now, snarling and snapping ferocious teeth, demanding she use it, take away the pain, the struggle, the mercy.

“Emma?” Henry had paused next to the car and she could hear he was afraid and she closed her eyes tighter, not wanting to see fear on his face, any face but his.

“Emma? It’s okay,” he said gently and she cracked an eye open. His eyes were wide and earnest and he had a hand hovering above her arm, like he wanted to touch her but didn’t know if she wanted him too. She slowly opened the other and blinked at him.

“I’m sorry,” he offered and worried his bottom lip. “I didn’t want to upset you. I just want to help.”

Her anger receded like the pulse of a wave and she glanced around the empty street before looking at her son. “This isn’t something you can fix, Henry,” she said as kindly as possible. “I don’t know if I can ever be the person I was. The Darkness is in me now. I _am_ the Dark One.”

His eyes, so like Neal’s, were shiny. “What about True Loves Kiss? We’ve broken a curse before!” He was suddenly animated, he had thought about it a lot in the first days and weeks after her disappearance, but Regina had cautioned him that it might not work. Not because, she had said gently, Emma didn’t love him with all that she was, but because the love a parent as for a child is unconditional, encompassing, and that a child couldn’t and shouldn’t live their parents the same way. He didn’t think Regina was lying to him, but he had to try.

“I love you!” He said with so much certainty Emma felt something hit her _hard_ in the chest, like being kicked by a horse. He surged forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lifting as high as he could to reach her. He was lucky he was growing and that she had bent down to speak to him otherwise he would have only reached her chin.

There was no crack of magic, no wave of bright light, no unicorns shitting rainbows racing down the street and Henry fell back frustrated and disappointed.

 

Pouting at his failure he looked at the ground. “I do love you, Henry,” Emma said fiercely. “Don’t you _ever_ doubt that. Okay?” She waited for Henry to begrudgingly nod before she continued. “But it will take a different kind of True Love to break this curse.”

“Okay, so we can go see Hook now!”

Emma didn’t really want to explain why that wouldn’t work, even if she wasn’t in love with Regina, so she changed the subject. “Right now I am driving you to town so you can go to the movies with your friends.” She walked around the Bug and opened the door as Henry frowned over the top of it at her.

“Why don’t you wanna be cured?”

“Because I’m not sick!” She thundered, Darkness leaking from her in the only outlet it could, her voice. It echoed down the street and the streetlights ahead flared and blew and sparked like fireworks above them.

Henry flinched back and she withdrew into herself, hatred at what she had done, scaring her son, overriding her anger. All down the street people were opening their doors, peering outside to see what had caused the disturbance and they started in surprise at seeing the MIA Saviour and her Bug outside Mifflin.

“Henry,” Emma sighed, reaching a trembling hand toward her son before shaking her head and clenching it at her side, mirroring the other one.

Her son took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, but when you want to be, tell me?” When she had first met him as a kid on her doorstep he would have pushed the issue, forced her, bribed her, blackmail her with his affection to get the answers, and actions, that he wanted from her. But he was showing his maturity now, not pressing the issue when she had finally put her foot down, she hoped he wouldn’t keep asking now, she had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in being un-cursed. Now he could go on with his life without being concerned about finding a cure for her, she didn’t need one. The Darkness was her friend, it gave her the strength to go after what she wanted, and to protect her family.

“When I am ready to be back around you, safe to be around you and the town, I’ll come back.” It was the only promise she could make that she was certain she wouldn’t be breaking, even accidently.

“Okay,” Henry said again and looked around self-consciously. “But you might wanna fix the lights, Mum doesn’t need any more work.”

Emma blinked at him for a moment and then glanced up before she understood. “Right.” She lifted her hands, palms towards the sky, and power shot from them, surrounding each of the street lights and repairing them and soon the entire street was restored.

“Do you still want a ride?”

“Yeah,” Henry opened the door and sat himself in the car. He was staring out the windscreen as she glided into her own seat and started the car.

They drove quietly into town and Henry directed her to where he wanted to be dropped off.

“I still love you,” he said quietly, he hand on the door handle. “I just don’t want you hurting, and being away from us, your family, is hurting you.”

He was out and on the street with the door closing behind him before she could reply and so she watched as he greeted his friends without looking back at her.

_What an ungrateful little shit,_ snarled one of her foster fathers. _Go and kick his ass_.

_He’s lying_ , said another. _You’ve killed people, do you think he would love you if he knew?_

_He just wants his precious saviour back_ , Lily argued and alone in the Bug Emma put her hands to her ears to try and silence them. _You have to be pure, remember? Their prefect Saviour, the strong Sheriff, the obedient Daughter. They all want you to be something for them, what about what you want?_

_“_ Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!”

_What will they say when they find out what you did to Robin? And to Lucy? What will Regina say when she learns you killed her Soul Mate?_

_What will your parents say after you turned into the monster they feared you would? Isn’t that why they took the Darkness out of you in the first place?_

_What about the town? Will they welcome you like they did when they realise you’re a killer?_

“No……” Emma let out a whimper as the Darkness continued its assault. Her world started to close in, the Darkness getting louder and louder, a crescendo of screams, cry’s, and plea’s. Her magic coiled and writhed inside her, pressing insistently against her skin, demanding an outlet, a release.

_Just let go_ , Lily suggested. _You’ve never held on before, why start now?_

There was a soft strumming and a few clear stokes of ivory keys breaking through the cacophony of sound. A faint vibration.

_Let it go away. You won’t have to hurt anymore. No one will hurt you and you can keep them safe. With you. Always._

There was an interruption to the guitar and piano melody, an apex before it levelled out and a voice like melted caramel began to sing.

_Oh._ That was her ringtone. And not just any ringtone. It was Regina’s ringtone.

She pulled back from the Darkness, turned form its bared teeth and claws, and went digging in her jeans for her cell. Regina might need her. It could be important. Regina was ringing her. She was supposed to be asleep. Maybe she needed help, needed Emma. Amazed by Lonestar. She had had this song as her and Regina’s theme song; pictured it playing in the background of their lives when they were together, but had never had the courage to let it out. It played in the cords of her heart, the keys of her ribs, keeping her love contained within her chest, forever dormant. But there was no fear when she _was_ Darkness, when she _was_ fear.

Her Caller ID was a photo Henry had sent her during Regina’s foray undercover with the Queens of Darkness, just to assure her his mum was okay. In the original photo Regina was cuddled up with Henry under a blanket and they were both grinning at the camera, a lightness in Regina’s eyes, a glow to her face, lit as she was by Henry’s presence. Emma had cropped the pic and just had Regina smiling at her whenever she rang. The main photo was her wallpaper, her two favourite people in all the realms, but she had argued it was just for Henry whenever anyone had commented on it.

“Regina,” she accepted the call and lifted her phone to hear ear, hoping her joy at hearing the brunettes voice, reading her name, thinking about her, was carefully hidden.

“ _You have thirty second to get here or else,”_ she sounded irate and Emma blinked, confused, at the terminated call.

Huh.

She vanished in a plume of grey smoke, sending the Bug back to its park outside her parents place and materialising on Regina’s doorstep. The brunette ripped the door open and was glaring, livid, at her as she hesitated on the top step.

“What?”

Regina merely opened the door wider and stepped to the side, offering Emma entry into the house and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

“Get in,” Regina snarled. “I don’t want to have the neighbours watching this.”

Fear breathed gently at the back of her neck and she shivered before hesitantly entering the house, wondering if this was the moment that Regina would stab her in the back.

The door creaked shut behind them ominously falling against the frame with a shudder and a thud.

Regina breezed past her, still in the pyjamas Emma had dressed her in, and stalked into the study expecting Emma to follow.

Confused, and slightly scared -Regina had a killer glare-she obediently trailed after the brunette, after all, she would follow her anywhere. Even if anywhere was maybe, probably, to her premature death. Regina _did_ have her dagger.

Regina was standing with her back to Emma, a glass of amber liquid in a decanter and her entire body was rigid. She shook her head and then tilted her head back, hair curtaining her neck and shoulder daintily, before she lifted the glass and downed the lot. She inhaled sharply as she lowered her hand and huffed before flicking her fingers and refilling the glass. Emma could feel the magic in the room now, dark, angry, and…hurt. Suddenly she was on guard. Had someone come here? Had they said something? Did they hurt her!? Emma searched the room and finding no other stretched her senses around the house, if anyone where still here they would be sorry. Finding no intruder, or any traces of one she turned her attention back to Regina. She didn’t seemed hurt, not any more than when she had left her and it calmed her more than anything else could. Regina was ok.

“You probably shouldn’t be-“

Regina spun so quickly she missed it during her blink and drew herself up. “Shut up,” she snarled softly, a growl rumbling from her chest and falling from her lips. Power was crackling in the air around her, sparking from her skin in violet flashes. Emma had noticed many times in the past that Regina had a regal bearing, a power she seemed shrouded in, even when she didn’t have her magic, and she noticed it now, cloaking the brunette and ballooning her presence, her authority, her power, until it filled the entire room. Even if she had wanted to, she couldn’t draw her eyes away. She had met the Evil Queen once before on her trip to the past, but nothing could compare to the brunette in front of her. She was burning with fury and pain. Molten. So immense that surely the world would burn if she turned her gaze upon it.

“How. Dare.” Her jaw was working with the effort of containing her words, or of finding the right ones, and she tilted her drink back again and downed it, fingers trembling in rage. Gone was the fiery Mayor of a small town. Gone was the devoted mother to her son. Gone was the regal Queen. Standing in front of her was the Evil Queen. Malice and disdain oozing from her body. Power and command across her shoulders. Rage etched on her features. Pain hidden in the depths of her eyes.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” She needed to fix this. Needed to have Regina not be angry, not be in pain. To not look at her like she was a nothing.

Regina tilted her chin slightly and Emma felt like she was a bug when two fathomless pits of black fire settled on her. Feeling small and fighting the urge to fall to her knees and beg for mercy, or for forgiveness, or for Regina to just tell her what was wrong so she could fix it, she asked again what was wrong.

Her magic was itching to respond to the blatant display of dominance Regina was showing, subconscious or otherwise. The Darkness knelt to no one. She forced the urge down, this wasn’t about her, it was about Regina. Regina was everything.

When Regina finally spoke i t was with a shaking voice, barely contained rage dripping from every word. “I swore that I would never be a prisoner in my own home _ever_ again.” She swallowed and her jaw moved and she swirled the alcohol in the glass, watching it catch the light. “I killed to make it so.”

Emma was confused, she didn’t know what Regina was talking about. Why was she so mad?

“Instead of living in fear of the monster sleeping down the hall I _became_ the monster sleeping down the hall,” she took a small controlled sip and a steadying breath and Emma wondered just how close she was to being tossed from the house. She still wasn’t following, but she thought maybe she was referring to her marriage to the king, or maybe living with her mother.

“And then you…” Regina worked her lips, eyes sharper than Charming’s sword.

“Have the _nerve_ to attack me in my own home…”

Emma was pretty sure she was pouting. “You need to rest so you can heal.”

“That is not your decision to make!” Regina roared back at her and the glass in the room cracked and shattered in response of her magic. The picture frames, lamp lights, alcohol bottles, even the glass in Regina’s hand, all shattered with a sweet tinkering sound.

Regina looked at the glass embedded in her palm and scowled before turning the full force of her glare back on the blonde.

“But you do… I want you to get better. Sleeping will help.”

Regina was frowning slightly now, her ire seeming to have drained her and she looked exhausted again. The uninjured hand came to rest on her belly, her tell, and Emma could have tortured herself for being the reason for it. “You attacked me, knocked me out, changed my clothes and put me to bed without my permission.”

The lines on Emma’s forehead tightened. “Well when you put it that way, you make it sound bad. That’s not what I did.”

“Didn’t you?” Regina breathed, a confession, and Emma suddenly understood.

Regina had never felt safe in her residences. First, with her mother breathing down her neck and ensuring she was schooled into the perfect queen, and then with the King-her own grandfather- controlling her movements and taking away her autonomy.

_Oh_. Her mouth widened in realisation, lips forming the sound.

“ _Regina_ ….” She drew out her name in apology. “I’m so sorry,” her voice was soft and gentle, a whisper in the room. “I’ll never do it again. I only wanted to help you.”

She took a step forward, ignoring how the Darkness was hissing at her for being weak, and apologised again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t- you trusted me and I should have- I’m sorry.”

Regina nodded sharply and took another sip before faltering. Emma was across the room as she stumbled and grabbed onto the corner of her desk for support. Hovering, uncertain if she could touch Regina, she lifted her hands and then lowered them, then lifted them again. Regina looked at her squarely for a moment before giving a slight nod and then Emma was gently taking some of her weight. She absolutely did not inhale the brunettes perfume as she helped her across the room and up the stairs, pausing a moment to flick her magic at the shattered glass.

It was testament to how exhausted Regina was that she didn’t complain as she was virtually carried back into her room and gently lowered onto the bed.

Emma sat next to her and reached out for her hand, lifting it palm upwards so she could examine it. She waggled her fingers and the glass dissolved and then tenderly ran her fingertip of each of the cuts, barely touching her, allowing her magic to arch out of her fingers and into Regina’s palm, stitching the skin back together. When she was done she was left with her fingers tickling Regina’s palm and the brunette’s long fingers twitched in response.

“I am sorry,” Emma offered again staring at their hands, and in a move that would have Emma’s heart singing for days after, Regina linked their fingers together. “I know.”

 

 


	6. Part Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Baby steps. Emma gets some things off her chest and cue cute Swan-Mills moment. TW: implication and reference to rape, sexual assault, abuse. Thank you all for the Judos and comments. I won't say they make me write faster, but it does make an insecure amateur fan-fic author feel warm and fuzzy and smile when I get them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this wasn't meantto be this long.... it was only a procrastination fic and now I can't stop! We should be about half way now, maybe ten chapters in total. Lets see how it goes. Oh, and Emma (and myself) is up for advice on how to woo Regina :D

 

“ _Hey, man,”_ Jeremey answered as he flicked a few buttons on his soundboard. _“How have you been? Got a good song for us tonight_?” He wasn’t expecting an answer, Romeo was generally pretty silent during the last song before ten but he was pleasantly surprised when she decided to humour him.

“ **Life’s going pretty good at the moment. I have a new game plan, but I am open to ideas.”**

Jeremy paused he was so surprised and missed his cue, much to Romeo’s amusement, he could hear her laughter down the line.

“ _Right_ ,” he cleared his throat. “ _That was a little JB for you all, a good song. But now we have the moment you are all tuning in for…..Romeo! Take it away_!”

Adele’s _Make you feel my love_ , wasn’t a song many people were familiar with as it didn’t get played on the radio very often, most knew her hit single Chasing Pavements, but this one was just as good.

“ _Alright Romeo, thank you! Now, you mentioned off air that life is going well and that you have a new game plan. Care to share?”_ Jeremy enquired when she had finished her song.

“ **I’m in a good mood. I’ll humour you** ,” Romeo said, amusement lacing her tone.

“ _All right! Tell us what’s happening_!”

“ **I love her. I mean, I knew I did before, but she just… do you ever just know?”**

Jeremey was nodding in his booth. “ _Sure do! So what is your plan_?”

“ **I’m going to make her fall in love with me. I have some ideas, but am open to more**.”

“ _Okay! Listeners, if you’re interested in giving Romeo some advice, call now_!”

A few moments later and a caller was on air. “ ** _Hey Romeo. So, you haven’t told her yet? Knowing that someone is interested in being more than friends makes their actions romantic. Like, if you compliment her how does she know you aren’t just being a good friend?”_**

**“Well, I can’t say I’ve ever told her she was beautiful, we aren’t those kind of friends.”**

Callers offered the usual ideas; flowers, chocolates, listening to her, touching her, smiling at her-which honestly, she never didn’t smile around Regina, she thought that had been obvious with one of her previous song choices-taking an interest, appreciating her, and just being there for her. A few more callers added suggestions and then Jeremy cut in.

“ _Look, Romeo. I hope this isn’t being to forward, but Erin and Marty-they run the morning show- are big fans of what you are doing and want to help you out. They’ve invited Snow White in to talk to you, so if you are listening tomorrow morning around nine, she’ll have some advice for you_.”

He waited a few moments to let that sink in and then continued. _“Maybe have a think of the questions you might want to ask? You don’t have to do it publically, just flick us a text if you want, but even if you don’t I’m sure Snow will have plenty to say. Now, on with the show! Kelly Clarkson with_ Piece by Piece _!”_

Emma stared at the radio silently, pensive, as her cell faded to black as the call ended. She had retired to the guest room after her talk with Regina, letting the exhausted Mayor go about her business. She had begrudgingly agreed to let her chores wait until the morning and had reluctantly swallowed her pills and curled up under the covers. It was barley nine o’clock, but she needed sleep to heal. Emma had hovered for a few minutes, feeling out of place with the revelations of the conversation and wanting, needing, time to think, but also not wanting to leave Regina. In the end she had politely left, letting the brunette fall into a fitful slumber naturally, but she had made sure to give as much of her magic to Regina as possible hoping to aid her recovery.

Whale was oddly fascinated by the entire thing, wanting Regina to come in every few days so he could marvel over how the magic was healing her at an impressive rate. Regina had put her foot down at once a week and but the Dr. had insisted on extra tests when she did come in, he was intrigued. Regina’s burns were already healing over, looking like they had had weeks’ worth of restoration rather than just the one, though her severe burns would take a bit more work, but at least they weren’t causing her pain. Her broken arm was progressing nicely, and she would be out of the cast soon, to her relief, she was already sick of it.

Feeling energised, and with Henry still at the movies and Regina sleeping, she decided it was time to pay a visit to her parents. She materialised in the centre of the loft and shifted her head in amusement when her dad fell from his chair and her mum gave a squeak of surprise.

“Emma?!” They gasped in unison and she walked over to the couch and sat herself on it, an embodiment of grace and power.

“Snow.” She took immense satisfaction in the way her mother flinched and then blinked with wide, hurt doe eyes. “David.” There was a twitch at her father’s eye, the only indication that she had hurt him.

“Given up on me yet? Moved on with your perfect replacement child?” The precise and measured malice in her voice wasn’t false. Old wounds were open, bleeding and raw before the wrath of the Darkness and Emma had many of them, mostly on the inside where they would never see the sun, never heal or fade, right where the Darkness thrived.

“Emma, no,” Snow said beseechingly. “We haven’t given up on you, you’re our daughter!” She looked over at David as he rolled to his feet and stood next to his wife, a united front.

“You know we love you,” David said calmly, placing a hand consolingly on Snow’s arm. “Neal isn’t a replacement, you know that.”

Emma felt her ire at the name rise. Pre-Darkness she hadn’t really liked the name, her baby brother being named after the jackass that broke her heart, dumped her in jail alone and with a baby- not that he knew about that, but that wasn’t the point. But now as the Dark One her hurt came pouring out.

“Oh yes…..” she drawled, eyes glinting. “I forgot you named my replacement after the coward that left me pregnant in jail, but that’s okay, I was never a person to you, just a means to an end.”

“We love you, Emma! We thought that naming him Neal would honour him!” Snow really wasn’t getting the point, the Dark One mused. But Regina had always said she was a self-centred, oblivious moron. Her thoughts came to a halt. Come to think of it, Regina had never called him Neal, always calling him Bae, or the Baby Charming. Huh. She’d have to ask her why that was but Snow was speaking again and she forcibly turned her attention outwards.

“I’m sorry that you had to hear what I said in Echo Cave but-“

“But that wasn’t for me, was it,” Emma said quietly and saw heartbreak scrawl itself across her mother features. “That was for him,” she turned her gaze on her father. “Prince Charming. Your greatest love.”

“We had to put you in the wardrobe, Emma. You were our only chance! Our Saviour!” Snow defended, tears welling over her lids and streaming down her face. David hadn’t said anything yet, just quietly taking in Emma’s words and waiting, eyes glassy and jaw clenched.

“We did have a choice,” David said softly, seeing Emma’s wounded reaction at the confession and seeing what wasn’t being said more than Snow. His wife turned to him wounded but he continued, looking directly at his daughter. “We choose to sacrifice our lives with you, raising you, being there for your first word, your first bruise, watching you fall in love, in order to save our people. We can never take that back. Regina would have…” He frowned, blue eyes hesitant but oh so bright.

“Regina wouldn’t have killed me,” Emma said confidently. “You could have kept me, raised me. Loved me.” Her voice broke slightly with the last confession.

David was nodding slowly while Snow was crying and worrying her bottom lip to keep silent, seeing David getting through to Emma when she couldn’t. “And we would have all been stuck under the curse.”

“At least we would have been together,” Emma spat back and then worked her jaw as she stared at the floor.

“You don’t know that,” David offered consolingly, soothingly. “We missed out on so much, and we can never get that back, but we _can_ move forward.”

“With what?” Emma’s head snapped up, gaze intent and capturing. “You and Snow raising your perfect prince, a replacement for the daughter you shipped away in a box to Maine? And I’ll just be the Saviour, huh? Only wanted and needed when there’s a villain in town? Only your daughter, she snarled, when you remember that you have one?” There was a moments silence as Emma’s words echoed in the room, the air heavy with her pain. “The daughter you cursed to take away her Darkness so she wouldn’t turn evil?”

Snow was sobbing openly now, taking Charming’s lead and letting her daughter air her grievances.

“Fortunately for you, I never needed parents,” Emma shifted her head to the side waiting for a moment to go in for the kill. Sure she was exposing some of her own scars but they would tear her parents apart, make their hearts bleed.

“And you were right to take away my Darkness,” she said brightly, falsely sweet. “But I got it back,” a malicious grin curled her lips. “Guess I’m not your perfect Saviour anymore.” She rose fluidly to her feet. “Don’t try to contact me.”

“Emma, you are our daughter…”

“You never had a daughter,” Emma drawled, drawing her power around herself. “You only ever had a Pawn, a would-be White Knight. Pity I’m a Black one now… Say!” She lifted her finger in an air of surprise and tapped her lip in thought. “How many kills does it take? One? Two? Or, maybe, three?” Her features stilled again, cruel and haughty. “Maybe I’ll have to kill some more until I find out.” She took a moment to savour the horror on her mother’s face, and the pity on her fathers before vanishing form the room. Served them right, she thought as she materialised back on her bed in Regina’s guest room.

Her thoughts ran around her head, mutinous and angry. All the hurt she had ever experienced from her time with the Swans, to her return to the system, other foster monsters, Neal, jail, Regina, Henry, Regina, Snow and David, Neal, Hook. Dark words cooing and whispering, urging her to do what she wanted, hurt who she wanted, be who she wanted. She wasn’t the saviour anymore, she was the Dark One!

She didn’t know how long she had sat simmering in silence but she started when there was a knock on the door.

Regina opened it without prompting and stood there with her phone in her hand and adorable bed-head. She was light from the light in the hallway and she didn’t look like she had been just woken from sleep; her eyes were red and there was a defensiveness to her posture, her other hand clenching and twitching at her side, stiff because of the cast. It moved towards her middle but then she rolled her fingers and forcibly rested it against her leg.

“Wanna tell me why your mother just rang me crying her eyes out?” Her voice was slightly hoarse and Emma felt her curiosity rise.

“Wanna tell me why you were already awake?”

Regina’s jaw tightened. “No,” she said shortly and leant against the door frame, fist unclenching and curling protectively around her belly.

“Snow and David need to get over themselves,” The Dark One drawled and looked unseeingly at the ceiling.

“I’ve been saying that for years,” she offered wryly as she came into the room and sat on the bed. Emma blinked as she shuffled around and then wound up laying right next to her on the bed. Stubborn as she was she refused to move over and give them both space so Regina ended up slightly off the bed and pressed against her. Her skin tingled and sang at the brunette’s body heat so close yet just out of reach and she had to regulate her breathing. Breathe, Swan. Breathe.

“They remain resolute, if not wilfully ignorant.”

The two were silent for a while before Emma began to get restless. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Quid pro quo, Miss Swan,” Regina retorted and Emma could feel her shift slightly, with what Emma didn’t know, but it sent sparks through her body, her magic pressing against her skin trying to get closer.

“Touché.”

“Snow told me what you said,” Regina said suddenly.

“So we are having this conversation? And without alcohol,” she sighed and shifted her head on the pillow, she could feel Regina’s hair brushing the side of her face now.

“Nothing’s stopping you, Miss Swan.” She could feel more than see Regina’s smirk.

“It’s no fun drinking alone,” she passed.

They were silent in the dark again, the only source of light the partially open door and the hallway light.

“Bae isn’t a replacement, Emma,” Regina started the conversation, not exactly the best conversation starter she had ever heard, but it would do.

“Feels like it.” The Darkness agreed. Why else would they have another kid? Right after they had said they wanted one? The Darkness didn’t feel the need to point out that they were back in the Enchanted Forest and thought they were stuck without Emma when they got pregnant. Maybe they didn’t have contraception?

“Your mother isn’t known for thinking her actions through,” Regina begrudgingly agreed. “But to her credit she has always done it with the best intentions in mind…even if her morals are twisted.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her you said that,” Emma teased before remembering. “If I talk to them again.”

“You will,” Regina said, certain. “Snow doesn’t like the word no.”

“Wonder where she got it from,” Emma shot back. She felt like she were back to normal, her and Regina exchanging thinly veiled barbs at each other, now layered with affection. The Darkness could have been a fly in a hospital, unwelcome, alone, and surrounded by white.

“I beg to differ,” Regina drawled, clearly uncomfortable with the insinuation that Snow gets her unyielding hope from her step-mother.

“Sure,” Emma allowed.

“You are allowed to feel the way you do. Emotions aren’t rational.”

“And you would know.”

She felt Regina nod. Felt the movement of their shared pillow and the way her hair shifted, and she felt the loss against her cheek.

“Yes,” Regina sighed into the darkness.

Feeling uncomfortable about how much of the conversation had been about her, she asked Regina why she had been awake.

An answer was a while in coming, the moments stretching into second and then into minutes. Eventually she answered, shifting on the bed again. “Our earlier conversation caused some bad dreams. Memories.” She could hear Regina swallow and her body tensed and she felt fire roar in her, demanding she kill whoever had hurt Regina so, even if they were in her dreams.

Wanting to draw Regina’s attention away from her own demons Emma started to speak, haltingly, and drawing comfort from the dark. She could pretend she was speaking her scars to herself, there didn’t have to be a witness.

“I was always meant to be the Saviour…. I was put on this pedestal before I was born and I was put through a wardrobe to make sure of it… then I came to town and did my Saviour thing…” she waved her hand around in the dark. “I thought that would be it, ya know? I could be a person, a daughter, instead of this….idealised hero. A Saviour.”

Regina was quiet, offering no judgement like she knew she would as she continued to peel back each of her scars for the darkness to see.

“They got their perfect Saviour, I broke the Curse, but then they wanted me to be more, to keep saving them, to protect them, to ensure they had their happy endings. My parents don’t understand. They get their curse broken, their perfect Saviour returns to them, and they get to raise a new son, one they can shape into what they want him to be. What about me? When did they ever do anything for me? They weren’t there to protect me from foster dads who touched too much or foster mothers who said I cost too much, or ate too much…”

Regina shifted on the bed again and then nudged her in the ribs. ”Move over, my back is killing me.”

Frowning Emma obeyed, shifting into the centre of the bed and hiding her surprise when Regina followed her over, perhaps needing the comfort like she did. She didn’t know what she expected from her confession, but Regina didn’t offer pity or ask for forgiveness-it wasn’t her fault. Yeah she had been part of the reason Snow and Charming put her in the wardrobe, but they didn’t have to, and she wasn’t responsible for the shitty parents she had had. She merely lay next to her in the dark so that she knew she wasn’t alone now.

“The one good deed I ever did,” Regina offered a few moments after Emma’s confession, “wasn’t actually mine. Mother had planned the entire thing from the start. Then I played right into Rumple’s hands. So I do know how you feel, being a pawn in someone else’s game.”

“Someone decided who I was going to be before I had a chance to find me.” Emma said and wondered if she moved her hand would Regina take it again, like she had earlier.

“They may have decided that that was the role you were going to play, Emma, but they didn’t decide who you are.” Regina’s voice was stern and Emma imagined that this was what she had sounded like when she was reprimanding Henry. Gentle and commanding all at once.

“You decided to run into a burning building to rescue me. You decided to come save me from the town when the curse broke. You decided to protect me when the wraith was after me.” She proceeded to list a dozen instances where Emma had acted against what she should have as “Saviour”, mostly around protecting Regina. “You became Deputy and then Sheriff because you want to help people! _That_ is who you are!”

Regina hesitated for a moment to allow Emma to mull over her words. “They may have decided you were the Saviour, but you earnt that title, you grew into who you are, you are rising above that, being just you. Just Emma. And ‘Just Emma’, you are an incredible woman. One I am honoured to call a friend.”

“Well…..I am pretty great,” she smirked into the Darkness and was rewarded with Regina’s long suffering sigh. She could have sworn there was a sun in her chest, its rays pushing through the gaps in her ribs and lighting all of her with golden light. Warm. Comforting.

“Did I say incredible? I meant an incredible pain in my ass.”

“Nah-ah,” Emma prodded the brunette in the side. “You like me!”

Regina jerked away from the touch, breathless with warning. “Miss Swan,” she cautioned and in typical Emma fashion she ignored the nearing danger, walking straight into it.

“Still with the ‘Miss Swan’, huh? Can’t you can me Emma?” She prodded her again, trying to get her point across and was rewarded with Regina shifting and gasping.

“Miss Swan!”

“Nope, still not it.” There was something about Regina that made her feel light, playful, and she poked her again, fingers dancing across the silk of her pyjama covered ribs. Regina’s body curved as she sought to escape her fingers and Emma had a wondrous thought.

“Emma!”

“Why Madam Mayor, “she cooed, lifting u to rest her weight on one arm and trying to see as much of Regina as she could in the dark. “Are you ticklish?” The faint light lit the side and top of Regina’s face and she could see her pained smile and clenched eyes.

“No!” Regina’s reply was sudden, too swift to be truthful, she didn’t need her Super Power to tell her that.

Grinning like Christmas had come early Emma adjusted her weight and let her hand hover over the brunette, feeling her heat warming her hand like a fire. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

A red flag rose in the back of her mind. Liar.

“100% sure?” She waggled her fingers, letting the tips of them brush Regina and was rewarded by her stiffening.

“Yes,” she hissed. “Don’t touch,” she swatted at Emma with a lazy hand.

“Okay,” Emma shrugged and saw Regina’s lashes parting as she opened her eyes and turned her head to face her.

“Okay?”

“Sure, I believe you….”

An eyebrow arched pointedly and Emma knew she had been caught out in her lie, just as Regina knew she had been caught.

“Right…” Regina drawled and resumed looking up at the ceiling.

Emma waited a moment before pouncing. Hands moving up Regina’s ribs to her arm pits, fingers insistent and dancing, tickling as much as she could.

“Emma!” Regina yelped, breathless again and Emma grinned, sitting up so she could reach around and get the brunette on both sides.

Regina’s feet were kicking out aimlessly as she twisted and jerked trying to escape Emma’s hands. Her hands tried to tame Emma’s own but she was free, wild and proud like some sort of lion, and she escaped the traps easily.

Regina was moving away now, squeals lit with laughter and Emma didn’t think about her next move. She tossed one of her legs over Regina and straddled her, rejoicing in how the position allowed her a better angle to tickle Regina. There would be no escape. The sound of a car pulling up outside and a door opening and closing was lost to them.

“Emma! Stop!” She was squealing and it had to be the cutest sound she had ever heard Regina make, and she was giggling as she tried to bat Emma’s hands away. A few times she caught her with the edge of her cast and the area radiated pain for a moment.

Regina hiccupped as she laughed and Emma’s hands steadily slowed their mission as she became increasingly aware of just what situation her impulsiveness had gotten her into. Downstairs the door opened and clicked shut, locking into place with a snap.

Regina’s eyes were bright and there was a pretty flush to her cheeks. Her hair was spread over the pillow and her clothing was hanging off her shoulder as her chest rose and fell hurriedly. Emma swallowed as she felt the brunette’s nervous laughs under her, rising and falling with her breaths and movements, her heat radiating outward. Emma stilled and looked carefully at Regina, wondering how she would react to this suddenly intimate position.

Dark eyes met hers squarely, glinting like stars in the sky. Her breathing slowed and still Emma waited frozen, ready for a signal to move or to, maybe, push for more?

The air in the room was heavy, charged. Electric. They always had been; the Sheriff and the Mayor, the Queen and the Saviour, Emma and Regina. The two had always had this energy. Mary Margret had once commented on it to Emma when they were flatmates, wondering if she had been hitting up the gym, or meeting someone on the side. Emma had been startled by the assumption, merely saying she had Regina had gotten into a fight again. Something about the brunette had lit something inside of her, revived her passion and brought it out in the most explosive ways.

There was a low thumping announcing their son coming up the stairs and Emma slowly pulled her fingers away, acutely aware that if she just tilted her palms inward she would be touching Regina’s breasts, barely, with every rise and fall of her chest. Her mouth went dry and she moistened her lips, feeling a thrill run through her when Regina’s eyes lowered to watch the movement before rising, as dark as night. She listened for Henry and when she heard the sound of his door creaking shut she was able to relax. Her body softening and moulding to the warmth below her, which, perhaps, wasn’t the best idea she had ever had. She could feel Regina’s warmth heating her skin and pooling low and warm in her belly, sending little shockwaves of desire through her bloodstream.

“Emma?” Regina’s dark eyes were glowing, embers in the faint light from the hallway and Emma was caught. Smiling wryly she quickly rolled off Regina and landed haphazardly on the bed, having decided not to push anything with Regina, but to make sure she loved her before she did try anything, she wouldn’t take a rejection very well. Plus, her “Soul Mate” had just died and she probably wasn’t ready for more than friendship from the blonde. But she would wait. After all, she had eternity now. The pesky issue of Regina’s mortality could be addressed at a later date, she had to get her first.

“I didn’t know you were ticklish,” she said as she stared at the ceiling again, skin tingling where she had been touching Regina, a warmth pressing against her lower spine. “Kid must get it from you.”

Regina hummed noncommittally. “When he was little I used to tickle his little toes,” Emma could hear her smile in her voice. “He would squeal and pull away with a giggle and then offer me his foot again.”

“Cute,” Emma commented. Regina let silence speak for a moment, her breathing finally levelling out. “Would you like to hear more stories?”

“Yeah!” Emma had some memories given to her by Regina but they were starting to fade, and they had only been the important ones, ones that she had needed to give to her so that she could take care of Henry when Regina couldn’t. It was the greatest gift anyone had ever given her and she didn’t think she could ever repay it.

Regina thought for a moment and then began to speak, telling Emma stories of Henry as a child and the adventures they got into through the night until she was yawning in earnest. Emma hadn’t liked that the brunette was getting tired and itched to say and do something, but their earlier conversation made her pause. She wouldn’t take away Regina’s autonomy, never again.

“And then,” Regina yawned and shifted on the bed. They were close now, lying side by side in the centre with a blanket over them both. “He came out of my room in my heels, one of my dresses over his pyjamas and he had a few necklaces around his neck.” Regina smothered a giggle. “He had lipstick all around his face, and on his teeth, and had smeared eyeshadow all around his eyes, he looked like a raccoon! And then, he looks at me and asks if he’s as pretty as me!”

The bed was shaking with silent laughter and Emma was chuckling at the visual image invoked. “I told him he was prettier,” Regina finished and then yawned, loudly.

Regina huffed a sigh. “I should go back to bed.” She moved one of her limbs and groaned, “Argh.”

“You could stay here?” As soon as she had said it she cursed herself inwardly. Friends didn’t have sleep-overs, not in the same bed anyway. Or, maybe they did? Emma wasn’t sure, the only “friends” she had had over for a sleep-over there hadn’t been much “sleeping” going on.

“I’d like to hear some more about Henry as a kid? But only if you want to. I don’t mind.” What she really meant was she really, really didn’t mind if Regina stayed. She wanted her to. Forever.

Regina was silent for a long while and Emma waited with baited breath, hoping she hadn’t over-stepped.

“I’d prefer to sleep in my own bed, tonight, Miss-Emma,” she said eventually, gently, and Emma’s heart plummeted as she slowly extracted herself from under the covers and padded across the floor to the door.

“Goodnight, Emma,” her voice was soft and she was lit, haloed, by the hallway light. “Sweet dreams.”

Huffing as the door closed Emma was pretty sure she was pouting and she crossed her arms over her chest.

 _See? She doesn’t love you_. It was Lily again. Honestly, that girl was beginning to piss her off. She wanted her out of her head and thoughts. It was unfair.

Foster mother number four had some choice words as well. _What a pervert. She is hurt and tired and you just wanted to take advantage of her. Guess what goes around comes around._ Emma was pretty sure she hadn’t wanted Regina to stay for _that_ reason. Sure she wouldn’t have said no, didn’t think she could ever say no to Regina, but she wouldn’t have touched her, would she?

 _But don’t they always say that? When are they ever telling the truth? Surely you know that value of words._ Foster farther number seven was one of her most loathed people, and Regina’s earlier comment about monsters sleeping down the hall rang true. She snarled back at him silently, loathing, molten with hatred that he was in her head.

_Get out of my head!_

He chuckled darkly, a shiver racing up her spine. _But darlin’, I never left._ He had called all the girls darlin’, a would-be endearment that social workers neither picked up on or just didn’t care.

 _She doesn’t even like you._ Said another adult who was mid-way through the list of people who had let her down. _Otherwise she would see how much you care. You killed Robin for her! How romantic is that?_

 _Obviously you_ are _the better choice here, but she didn’t even bother to look. She is so self-centred. You don’t need her. You can have anyone you want. Just fuck her and get it over with._

_She won’t have a hold on you after, and you can move on. You will have the power over her._

As her unwelcome guests continued their drivel Emma descended into Darkness, feeling the rejection of Regina’s action coupled with the jeering words and her own insecurities rising to the surface and pressing against her restraint and control.

 _No one had ever wanted her_ , Lily cooed. And she was right, Emma thought. Her parents had shipped her off in a magical wardrobe to another realm with a child to “protect” and “guide” her. Then the Swan’s had given her back, maybe they knew what she would turn in to? Then she had spent years in the system being bounced from foster family to foster family where she was considered a pay check, a hassle, eye-candy, and a pretty “toy” for the other boys and some foster fathers. Neal hadn’t wanted her either. If he had he wouldn’t have been soon keen to leave her at August’s encouraging. He had only needed an excuse. Not only that but he had tricked her and then made her take the fall while he got away scot free.

Her thoughts were mutinous, torrid, the abyss at the bottom of a waterfall, shrouded in mist and   lost among forgotten drops of water. No longer an individual but now scattered with a hundred-thousand other tears forming something else, taking another name, another form until each drop was no longer recognisable as what it had been. A tear drop in a waterfall. These were her thoughts as she lay alone and forgotten in the dark, each of her thoughts jumbled together with the urges and desires of the Dark One, tearing away her autonomy, her identity.

A muffled cry pulled her attention outward, away from the dark, swirling depths that she had sunk to. It drew her forward, upward, rising above the water and then shooting up the side of the waterfall until she dawn over the river and climbed into the sky. The cry came again and she was instantly alert, body tense and sensing straining to her the sound again. It was quiet for a moment and she slowly relaxed back into her bed.

When the sound came again she was out of bed and across the hall to Regina’s door before she even registered the movement. She didn’t hesitate as the choked sound broke into a sob, unintelligible words forming murmurs through the door. She opened it and darted into the room, a fireball forming in her palm, blue and electric, daring anyone to be in the room hurting her Regina.

Regina’s duvet cover was tossed haphazardly off the bed and the Mayor was fisting the sheets, face twisted in a mixture of fear and pain. “No. Please stop.”

She trashed, caught in the grasp of some unseen assailant and Emma closed her fist on the fireball. She moved quickly to the bed, “Regina,” she said firmly and reached out to gently shake the Mayor awake.

In her sleep Regina jerked away from the touch, swatting weakly with her hands and kicking out with her feet. “Stop. Daddy, help.” Her voice cracked in the dark and Emma quickly got onto the bed next to her, flicking on the bedside table light. She knew what form Regina’s nightmare was taking and needed to help her fight her demons. Learning quickly that she shouldn’t try to restrain Regina while she was in the clutch of a nightmare she instead lay right next to her, snaking an arm under her thrashing body and gently pulling her close.

“Regina,” she said soothingly. “Regina your safe. Wake up.” Brushing some hair from Regina’s face she stroked her cheek. “Regina you can open your eyes. I’m here. You’ll always be safe with me.” No truer words had ever been spoken and on her next plea Regina’s body stiffened and she jerked upright in bed, a fireball curling in her palm. Emma gave a yelp and jerked back slightly and released her hold on Regina to allow her the distance she needed.

Darkq eyes wild Regina scanned the room for her demons as her chest rose and fell quickly. Emma leant carefully out of Regina’s personal space and waited for Regina to acknowledge her. Satisfied that the room was empty, that her nightmare was delegated back to the dream realm, Regina slowly fall back onto the bed and then groaned.

“What, what’s wrong?!”

Regina started at the sound and placed a hand to her chest to calm it. “Damn it, Emma! Don’t scare me like that!”

Emma was staring around ready to fight someone and looked confused back at Regina.

“What are you doing here!?” Regina snapped and pulled the covers over herself, trying to armour herself.

“You cried out. I had to make sure you were ok,” Emma explained, eyes earnest like a puppy.

“I’m fine,” Regina snarled. “So leave,” she pointed a still trembling hand towards the door and Emma shook her head, noticing the red lines streaming down Regina’s arm. In her struggle her nails had torn her skin, ripping open the sensitive burns and likely causing her a lot of pain. She was lucky her cast prevented the other arm from the same fate, but her nails were bloody and broken from having torn at the plaster unsuccessfully.

“Let me heal this first.”

“Get out of my room, Swan,” Regina hissed with more venom than a cobra.

“Not until you are okay.” Emma knew the defensiveness was merely a mechanism to protect herself when she was no doubt feeling vulnerable, so she didn’t take Regina’s prickliness to heart.

“Miss Swan,” Regina’s voice rose warningly but Emma ignored her, settling into the bed with a sigh. Regina’s bed was the softest bed she had ever been on, she couldn’t imagine ever wanting to leave it. Couldn’t imagine why Regina did, and she said so.

“I have responsibilities, Miss Swan,” Regina replied stiffly. “Now leave.”

“Give me your arm,” Emma held out her hand prepared for a hard round of negotiating.

“Get out or I will kick you out,” Regina cautioned and Emma almost laughed, but didn’t want to wound the Mayor any more tonight.

“Yeah?”

Regina’s eyes flashed and Emma felt a thrill race through her veins, it was the look the Mayor had given the Deputy just before they would enter one of their legendary arguments, a fire inside dark eyes that would arch the air between the two, electric and charged.

She lifted her hand and her magic swarmed to her call, but Emma was more powerful than a wounded and magically drained Regina and easily countered the spell, much to Regina’s annoyance.

Frowning she tried again, pointedly not looking at Emma’s goofy smile.

With a growl she tried after her last failure, and Emma felt the magic rise, powerful even as it was a shadow of its former strength.

“Regina,” Emma countered the magic and then gently reached out. “Please.”

Regina swallowed and blinked back tears at the ceiling, body tense and fists clenched at her failure. She didn’t have the magic to go toe to toe with the Dark One when all of it was being used to heal her body and to hide the injuries that she did have so that she didn’t appear weak. Her mother’s voice was cooing in her head, cursing her weakness in allowing herself to be vulnerable around her former enemy-turned friend, for allowing the King to still have a hold on her.

She was moments away from asking Emma to leave again, if she valued their friendship, when something gentle and soft touched her cheek. “Regina,” Emma breathed as she gently ran the tips of her fingers over Regina’s skin. “Accepting help isn’t weakness. Not accepting it when you need it, and is freely offered, is.”

Regina’s jaw was moving, rippling with the effort to contain her words, tears, maybe her screams, but eventually she offered Emma her arm. Smiling softly Emma started to heal it, white light streaming from her fingers like ribbons and coiling around Regina’s entire body. It was the purest magic in the world, the magic Emma had been born with and then cursed to be pure. Light Magic. She hadn’t been able to use her Light Magic since she had become the Dark One. The embodiment of Evil didn’t exactly like puppies and rainbows and the two parts of her were constantly at war, Light Vs Dark, trying to rule her heart, soul, and body. As a result her magic was usually grey, a mixture between the two beings existing inside her, the two sides that she could be, and only when she did very bad things, or very good things was her magic either black or white.

Unlike her previous attempts at healing Regina, when all she had been able to do was a little reinforcing of Regina’s own healing magic, and give her more so she could heal herself faster, her light magic sunk into every inch of the Mayor and set about repairing her, restoring her until there wasn’t a single piece of skin that wasn’t as it was before the fire. Sighing in relief Regina’s body relaxed into the pillows and she blinked lazily, her own magic fizzling beneath her skin, at 100% once more. Light magic was calm, peaceful, and that was how she felt now. Relaxed, at peace. Safe.

Feeling the drain of Emma’s magic, and how the darkness in her rose like a flooded reservoir, she reflected the magic she was given back at Emma. The air between them was thick with magic; peaceful, healing, radiant light magic. Purple and white blended together, each colour remaining pure, but intertwining with the other until they were tangled, an intricate web of energy that grew as it passed through their body’s and joined with the others’ magic. It was a combination of every time they had ever been happy rolled into one, the feelings inspired running rampant through their bloodstream, soothing their fears, insecurities and pain. It was warm; the sun on a summers day, the heat in front of a fire with a book, a hug from a friend, a smile over coffee, a kiss in bed.

Gradually the magic faded back into their skin and both of them sighed happily. “Wow,” Emma voiced in awe.

“Wow,” echoed Regina in agreement and then she peered at her cast before curling her fingers and vanishing it. She flexed her fingers and rolled her arm a few times, pleased there was no lingering pain, only a slight smell which she swiftly rectified with a wave of her hand.

“Thank you,” she said quietly to the sleepy Dark One next to her. Emma blinked sleepily like a cat in the sun and smiled.

“Mh,” she hummed and closed her eyes, burrowing under the sheets and duvet as it crawled back up the bed and over the two. “Night.”

It was probably morning but Regina replied and did the same, curling into her side, feeling blissful with no worries or fears, no hesitance about allowing Emma in her bed.

She closed her eyes as the magic went to work and within moments was asleep. It was the best sleep either of them had, and if they cured into each other during their sleep neither knew nor commented on their compromising position when one of them woke earlier than the other. They were content to bask in the warmth and protection offered by the other all night. No fear of further nightmares for either of them. For the moment there was no pain, no suffering, no fear. All that existed was her and Emma. They were together. They were safe.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“Mum?” Anastasia called as she used her key to unlock the front door. “You haven’t been answering my calls and Mark said you were taking time off.” Her heels clicked on the wooden floors as she entered the hallway.

“Mum?” She called louder now, her voice echoing ominously in the silent house and she felt fear tickle the back of her neck. The little hairs at her nape rose to attention, as did the ones on her arms and she was hesitant as she stepped into the kitchen. It was empty, cold, even though there was sunlight streaming in through the open blinds above the sink. There were no dishes or cutlery or faint scents of cooking.

Swallowing in dread she stepped out of the kitchen and began to make her way down the house, opening each of the closed doors apprehensively, as though she knew what was waiting for her at the final door and wanted to prolong the moment.

“Mum!” She called sharply as she closed the final door to her mothers one and fear clenched her heart.

“Mum?” She slowly opened the door, it creaked open like one of those doors in a horror movie and she knew, even before she saw, she knew what she would find.

Mitch Barkley, Lucy Tremaine’s elderly neighbour, heard the toe-curling scream and made her way from her hedge to the house as Anastasia bolted from the house and down the steps, face pale and trembling hand to her lips. She was violently sick in the garden, bent over double and sobbing through her retching.

She was wailing, mumbling ‘no’ over and over again, mixing it with ‘mum’, a drawn out whimper, a scream tearing its way from between her teeth,

After trying and failing to comfort her neighbours daughter, and to find out what was wrong, Mitch made her way into the house. She popped her head into the kitchen and saw it was absent, before making her way to the hallway. The only open door appeared to be the master bedroom and she was concerned as to what she would find.

Standing in the open room she swallowed and fell against the doorframe, bringing her hands to her mouth in horror. Lucy was sprawled out on the bed staring with unseeing eyes at the cream ceiling, a pool of blood staining her white sheets.

Her throat tightened on reflex as her stomach twitched in repulsion at the smell, and at the sight of so much blood. A thick knife handle jutted from the woman’s chest, it looked like the ones from her kitchen knife block.

Swallowing she turned from the scene and hurried back down the hall to the kitchen and located the phone.

Within moments she was on the phone to the Storybrooke Police Department, Officer Tod speaking.

“She’s dead,” she said in shock, working on auto pilot. “Lucy Tremaine is dead.”

The officer at the end of the line went quiet before he was rattling off questions and she struggled to answer them. They were the usual questions that movies and film had taught her, and she answered the best she could, saying she was a neighbour and explaining what made her come to the house and call the police in the first place. Less than ten minutes later a cruiser was pulling up at the curb, lights flashing, and neighbours were peering curiously out of their windows.

David and Tod strode up the drive, Tod pausing to check on Anastasia, who was now being comforted by another neighbour. “Are you the one who called it in?” David inquired as he marched up the steps with his crime kit in hand.

“Yes,” she said and stepped aside to let him into the house. “Make a right, last door at the end of the hall.”

The Sheriff followed her instructions and walked down the hall and paused in the doorway. “Shit.”

“Ambo’s here,” Tod said as he came up behind the Deputy and he swore.

“I hate to say it, but Lucy dies days after she publishes an article accusing the Mayor of murder? Seems suspicious.”

“Our job is to fit theories to fit facts, not facts to theories,” David cautioned stiffly and Tod shrugged.

“You don’t think other people are going to put two and two together?” He glanced over at the body again. “Let’s face it,” he continued, frowning, “all evidence points to the Mayor. It’s almost comedic how blatant it is, she isn’t even bothering to hide her tracks.” He paused and then his eyes widened. “ _Oh_.”

David nodded as he knelt down to unzip the crime kit and removed a camera. “If Regina didn’t want anyone to know she did it, we would never find out. This isn’t discreet, and it’s _messy_. Regina’s being framed. Again.”

“Well, yeah… but by who?”

“There’s a long list-most of the town probably- but Regina is good now and she doesn’t need this,” he waved the camera at the crime scene, “holding her back.”

“Mh,” Tod hummed in agreement. “I’ll start on the statements and then send in the examiner, see what we can find out.”

The two followed their procedures as the Saturday morning turned to noon and beyond, having called in Ruby to cover for them at the station. Many townsfolk were still watching intently from behind their police barriers and David knew that the news would be all over town by daybreak the next day, if not by sunset tonight.

“Hey, come have a look at this.” Tod was looking through her phone as it charged and he held up the screen. “She sent out a group text on Wednesday night, at…” he turned the phone back to face him and peered at the screen, “ten thirty-seven saying she wouldn’t be in for a few days and to contact her by email. There are a couple of missed calls and a few text messages the days after. And the answering machine has nine messages.”

The rest of the forensic crew had already taken away the body and were taking evidence samples while David and Tod were examining the statements of the two witnesses at the station; Anastasia Tremaine and Mitch Barkley.

“So we can assume she hasn’t been in contact with anyone since Wednesday night? Okay,” David was nodding, “we can start our investigation there and see what we turn up. The apartment building employees have moved into an empty warehouse by school, their temporary set up while Lucy was sorting out their next move.” He ran his fingers distractedly through his hair. “No that they’re going anywhere soon…. Go have a talk to them, see what you can find out.”

Tod nodded and grabbed his uniform hat and placed it on his head. “What are you going to do?”

“See Regina,” David sighed. “As Mayor she needs to know, and also…. She needs to know that someone is targeting her.”

Tod and he had discussed it while they were examining the few details of the case they had gotten from the crime while they were waiting for the forensic team to tell them of their findings. They had concluded that if Regina hadn’t done it, and the only evidence that had against her guilt was her word, then someone was targeting her. First the attack on Robin Hood, and then the building that housed the company that accused her of murder, and finally the death of the author who wrote the article. It seemed that someone was trying to frame Regina; her break up with Robin was public knowledge. Lucy’s article was common gossip, and her murder just pointed the finger directly at the Mayor. As Tod had pointed out earlier, it was so obvious it could only be false.

The two went their separate ways and as the afternoon sun hit his windscreen David pulled to a stop outside of 108 Mifflin Street. After pausing to adjust his belt he strode up the path towards the house and paused, going still with shock. In the driveway Regina stood with a hose as she washed the remaining bubbles off the hood of her beloved Benz. She was wetter than normal, than she should have rightly been for washing a car, and her back was straight, regal, even as she wore casual clothing. The water logged white t-shit clung intimately to her skin, highlighting the curves and contours of her body in a way that left little to the imagination, and her short grey shorts showcased more leg than he had ever seen her show, she would be giving Ruby a run for her money. If Storybrooke had a wet t-shirt contest, he was certain that the brunette in front of him would be a contender for first place.

But what made his jaw fall open in shock was his daughter- who had, the night before, said some very cruel things to both he and Snow, and insinuated that she had already killed people- who was grinning over at Regina from behind the hedge around the side of the house, far enough away from the hose that she was in no danger. But she too was wet, her platinum blonde hair was dripping with it and her jeans were dark with water, and her shirt had patches on it.

“Oh come on, Regina! I’m sorry!” She called out, sounding not sorry at all and ducked back behind the house even as the arc of water fell short of its intended target.

“It was an accident!”

“Sure it was, Miss Swan!” Regina hurled back as she turned the hose back to her car and made sure all the soap suds were washed away.

“I didn’t mean to splash you!” Emma peered back around the corner of the house with a grin and it was then that he saw she had a water gun in her hands.

Astounded David edged forward, and if he footsteps were as quiet as he could make them, well, who was to know. The two were obviously distracted.

“Why don’t I believe you?” Regina shot back and turned to face Emma, placing her hands on her hips and probably cocking her brow.

“It was an accident, I swear!” Emma nodded to cement her innocence.

“Nah ah.”

David almost fell over as Regina replied childishly.

“Yeah ha,” Emma jeered back as Regina began to walk towards the side of the house where the hose originated and Emma reflexively walked backward.

“Nah ah.”

“Yeah ha.”

Snow would never believe him if he told her what was happening right now, and he was of half a mind to take out his phone and record the entire thing but didn’t dare to.

“Nah ah.”

“Yeah ha.”

It carried on for a while as Regina turned off the hose and began to coil it up, the muscles in her arms straining against the tight, wet fabric of her sleeve. It was such an out of character display that David wondered what had happened to her, to make her seem so care-free.

The moment drew to a close when all of a sudden water burst from the tap and lifted _up_ to soak Regina, obviously with magic.

“Oops,” Emma said brazenly and David could see, could feel, Regina’s fury rise in a wave of heat as she stared through her soaking wet hair over at Emma.

His daughter grinned winningly, pointedly provoking Regina like she always had and in a calm and very precise movement that screamed danger, Regina began to glide towards Emma.

“Miss Swan,” she purred, and David felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. “Don’t start something you can’t finish.”

“Oh yeah?” David wondered why the conversation felt charged, heated with something that he had always know was between the two but didn’t want to name. He felt like an outsider to some intimate moment.

“Yes,” Regina purred and then made a quick movement with her fingers.

Emma squealed and then ducked around the end of the house as a ball of water tore after her.

“Come back here, Swan!” Regina roared and then charged after her and David bolted around the side of the house after them, not wanting to miss out on this… what ever it was.

“Not fair!” He could hear Emma complain and then shriek again as the water must have hit her. “No magic!”

“Play with fire, Miss Swan!” David rounded the house to see the two squaring off, Emma with another water gun and Regina with a ball of water in her hand.

“Its water!” Emma hollered back, sounding so much like her usual self that David felt his heart ache.

Regina was tossing the ball of water up and down in her hand and Emma was watching her warily.

“That’s not fair!” She whined. “I only hit you with a water gun once!”

Regina tilted her head and tossed the water ball at Emma, and she squealed and ducked out of the way, falling into a roll and rising to her feet, gun at the ready as she pumped it to get the water primed.

Regina summoned another ball of water and Emma’s grin at her outmanoeuvring faded. “Shit.”

“Language,” Regina reminded her airily as she tossed another ball of water.

Emma’s water gun was ready to go and she hid behind Regina’s apple tree.

“Kid’s inside,” she corrected.

“No, I’m not,” Henry pipped up as he came out into the garden and picked up a water gun that was leaning against the back door.

He was wet as well, his hair slicked back and a broad grin on his face.

“Mum,” he whined, “if you’re gonna play you can’t use magic. It’s cheating!”

“Yeah, Regina!” Emma peered out from behind the tree to stick her tongue out playfully at the Mayor. “It’s cheating!”

“Ah,” she cried as she ducked back behind the tree and let the water ball fly past her.

Regina huffed loudly but let the newly formed water ball fall from her palm and onto the grass. “I was merely trying to teach Miss Swan a lesson,” she said regally as she began to make her way towards the house.

Henry grinned as she got closer and when she was within range he lifted the nozzle of the gun and pulled the trigger, the jet of water making the fabric of her shirt ripple as it hit her torso.

“Henry. Daniel. Mills.” Regina went still.

Henry grinned and darted off to the apple tree where his other mother was hiding.

“Oooh, full name kid!” Emma high fived him as he rounded the tree.

“Whatcha gonna do, Madam Mayor?” Emma teased, stepping out from behind the tree now that she thought she was safe.

Regina brushed her hair back and then flexed both hands.

Henry and Emma shared concerned looks of horror as water balls began to fire at them from Regina’s open palms.

“Split!”

The two darted each way as missiles of water headed in their direction and Henry choose that moment to unleash the rest of his water gun on Regina. After running out of water he darted to the other garden hose and cranked it on, pulling the hose out behind him like a green snake. He aimed it at Regina, covering her with water as she halted in her assault to protect herself. Henry was laughing, so loud and happily, that it lit the garden and afternoon.

While Regina was preoccupied by Henry Emma was sneaking around behind her and teleported. In a flash she was right next to the brunette and wrapped her up.

“I’ve got her, Henry!” She positioned her arms over Regina’s so that she couldn’t fling any more water balls at him. “Get her!”

“Ah, Miss Swan!” Regina gave an undignified squeal as she was held against Emma’s wet clothes and tried to escape her as Henry turned the hose on them both. They were both laughing.

“Hey! Not me!” Emma called out and ducked her head away from the spray, trying to hide behind Regina.

Henry merely stuck out his tongue at them both and kept waving the hose over them. Regina spun slightly in Emma’s arms and they shared a look. David couldn’t see it from where he was leaning against the house, but it seemed longer than normal.

Then the two were breaking apart and were charging for Henry, who cried out as the odds turned on him.

“No! Mum!” Regina hit him first, wrapping her arms all around him and pulling him close. “Emma! You’re all wet!”

“That’s what you get kid! When you mess with Team Mums!” Emma had him at the other side, the teenager squashed between them, soaking him with their own wet clothes and he was squirming and laughing as he tried to get away.

After a while he stopped struggling, resigned to his fate and the hug turned gentle, Regina placing a kiss on his damp hair and hugging him tighter.

“Love you,” she murmured into his hair.

“Love you guys too,” Henry’s voice was muffled, but was warm and he hugged them both. Emma and Regina pulled away and let him duck out from between them, the water hose still running on the ground as he ran for the safety of the house.

“Be careful on the wooden floor!” Regina called out as he disappeared into the house and he waved a hand in acknowledgement of the request.

Emma and Regina then shared another look and began to walk towards the house, the hose slowly stopping and then coiling back into place with magic. Around them the sounds of the lazy Saturday continued. Cars drove past and music played, people hung out together or did their chores. It was like another sunny afternoon.

But for David his world tilted on its axis like one of those globes, before trembling and then falling to the floor and rolling across the carpet. _Oh_.

If he were in a cartoon there would have been a light-bulb over his head, and perhaps he would have to pick his jaw off the ground. But he wasn’t in a cartoon, and instead he was grateful he was leaning against the house because he might have fallen over at what he had just seen and the magnitude of what it meant.

Emma had held both Henry and _Regina_ , when she had joined Regina in the family hug, and when it had turned from the game to something shared between parents and a son, she had still kept in contact with the brunette, sharing Henry with Regina, as a partner, as an equal, as a lover. When Henry had jogged away Emma had shifted to the side and watched him with Regina, a united parental front, but her arm had still encased the brunette in the harbour of her protection. Regina turned her gaze and they looked at each other, smiling until it faded and they were left staring searchingly into each other’s features, looking for …something. And when Regina had finally stepped away from her embrace, Emma’s hand had lingered for as long as possible, fingertips trailing the fabric of her shirt as she left, and the look she shot her was full of longing, aching with…love.

Oh. David felt his heart clench and he reached up a hand to calm it, feeling it beat traitorously against his palm. Everything suddenly made sense. Emma…loved….Regina.


	7. Part Seven

 

“ _I have to say_ ,” said Eryn as the final notes of _Thinking Out Loud_ faded over the airwaves. “ _That may just be my all-time favourite Ed Sheeran song_ **.** ”

“ _Nah_ ,” Marty said. “ _Has to be Afire Love! Love that song_!”

“ _Agree to disagree_ ,” Eryn offered diplomatically.

“ _Besides_ ,” interrupted an unknown voice on the morning show, “ _Photograph is the best song on the album. Hands down_.”

Marty chuckled. “ _Well, Queen Snow White has spoken_!”

“ _For those of you just tuning in, Snow White agreed to come in to talk to us about True Love, and maybe give Romeo some advice, if you’re listening_.” Eryn explained and then rattled off a little of Snow’s background and that of her epic love story with Charming.

“ _But we know that Disney hasn’t got the entire story right, but here are the basics: Princess Snow fled the wrath of her step-mother Queen Regina. In her travels she meets a Prince, a Prince Charming, and together they start a civil war and exile Queen Regina to her own kingdom. Then the two have a child and we all know the rest of the story_.” There was a moment’s pause, perhaps out of shock, and Marty cleared his throat.

“ _Right. So anyway. Snow White agreed to talk to us about True Love, seeing as the entire town reveres it and you’re kind of a celebrity_.” This was directed at the startled Queen and she quickly drew her composure, frowning slightly over at Eryn before smiling at Marty as she spoke enthusiastically into the microphone.

“ _Thank you for having me! I’m not an expert, but what do you want to know?”_ Snow chirped into the microphone.

“ _Anything you have to tell us_ ,” Eryn said, and then slid a piece of paper across the table to the Queen. “ _And these questions_.”

“ _Okay! Well_ ….” Said Snow as she examined the questions. _“I’ll start with the basics. I was once told that Love, True Love, is the most powerful magic of all_.” Snow went on to share everything she knew about True Love and examples of it she had seen or had heard of.

“ _So basically_ ,” Eryn summed up, “ _True Love is an extension of Aristophanes’ split theory_?”

Snow was silent for a moment in thought, brow furrowed as she recalled her cursed self’s lessons of classical studies. “ _Yes and no….”_ Suddenly struck with the need to prove herself to this woman and to the listeners she straightened.

“ _Aristophanes’ split theory is and can be associated with two people who share a purely platonic love. It forms the idea that when we were created we were split into two.”_ It had been a while since she had gone over her Greek theory and she hoped she was remembering correctly. “ _Sometimes the soul mate can just be a friend, or someone who we have a connection with, someone who teaches us the biggest lesson we will ever learn, or helps us find who we are, or any number of things were there is a connection required. We can have many of them in our lifetimes. It doesn’t have to be romantic_.”

“ _Neither does True Love_ ,” Marty pointed out.

“ _No_ ,” Snow nodded in agreement. “ _True Love is different. Your True Love will always be a Soulmate, but a Soulmate doesn’t necessitate True Love.”_

“ _Okay, so what you’re saying is that the romantic love between say yourself and Charming, is True Love, and you could also be Soul Mates_?” Marty asked.

“ _I like to think so_!” Snow beamed. “ _We’ve been through so much and he understands me like no one else does.”_

“ _So if Soul Mates, and True Loves don’t have to be romantic, then what’s the point? And tell me something else, why is it only_ Royals _,”_ Eryn sneered, “ _who have it? Where’s the True Love between us common folk_?”

Snow visibly stumbled over her words. “ _I-I don’t know? Have you ever been cursed? Individually_?”

“ _No_ ,” Eryn said. “ _But who decides if it is True Love or not_?”

Snow fumbled for her phone. “ _Let me ask someone who knows more than I do. Can we put her on air_?”

“ _Okay. We’ll take a short break and when we get back we’ll continue the conversation_.”

After the break with a few ads and a short song they were back on air and the sound of a phone ringing came down the airwaves.

“ **Snow? Is everything okay?”** Regina Mills’ rich voice graced the airwaves.

“ _Regina. Hi. Everything’s fine. I’m just on the radio_.”

“ **Okay…. What can I help you with**?”

“ _We have a few questions about True Love, and Soul Mates, if you are okay to answer them_.” Snow hedged realising that she was putting her step mother on the spot and hoping Regina would be okay with it.

“… **Very well. If I can** ,” Regina answered regally.

“ _Majesty_ , “said Eryn respectfully, “ _We would like to know the difference between True Love’s and Soul Mates, and the difference with romantic and platonic ones_.”

Regina took a moment and then relayed the same information that Snow had earlier adding, “ **You can know what you have is True but it can’t be proven unless there is some sort of need for it. You can go through your entire life believing you are True Loves, and then learn that you aren’t when a True Loves Kiss is required** _.”_

“ _So us common folk could be in True Love_?” Marty asked.

“ **Certainly. It would require a curse or spell or some other form of magic to prove or disprove it**.”

“ _But why doesn’t True Loves Kiss always work? Isn’t Belle and the Dark One-er, former Dark One? First Dark One?”_

“ _Mr. Gold_ ,” Eryn interrupted, saving Marty and he nodded in thanks.

“ _Yeah, aren’t Gold and Belle True Love? Why is he still-was-the Dark One_?”

Regina took a moment to gather her thoughts, and when she spoke it was haltingly. “ **Rumple has- what Belle and Gold share-. They could be True Love. It is likely, no one would willing stay with him for that long** ,” she added, almost to herself, before clearing her throat. “ **When a member of a True Love couple is under a curse or spell, they have to be willing to let it go, they have to want it. They also have to Love the person unconditionally.** ” She paused for a moment. “ **If I were to guess, I would wager that the reason Rumple remained cursed is because he loved power more than he loved Belle. Now, that’s not to say it isn’t True Love** ,” she said grudgingly, “ **but he didn’t love her enough or more than he loves power.** ” She then went on to discuss platonic true love, repeating what she had told Henry and Emma when he had been unable to break the curse on his mother. Then she talked about romantic True Love, the love of lovers.

“ **True Love between adults, unrelated adults, is almost always romantic. For an adult to find someone they share themselves with completely, is very rare, and a curse on one will not be broken by any other but a True Lover**.”

“ _So what about people who don’t enter sexual relationships?”_ Marty asked, slightly accusing if Snow were to be the judge.

“ **By romantic True Love, or the Love of Lovers as it is sometimes referred to, I mean that the couple know each other intimately, know every shadow and scar hidden within the depth of their souls. It is shared, understood, and accepted. Unconditional. I have not heard of a case where the love is True without the couple being in a sexual relationship, though I see no reason to say it is impossible** ,” Regina offered. “ **I should have clarified. I apologise**.”

Eryn asked Regina to clarify a few more questions and then fare-welled the Queen. “ _All right. Take a moment to think on what Queen Regina has shared with us and text in some questions, because up next we are talking to Snow White about her experiences with True Love. Romeo, it you’re listening, give us a call_.”

They played a few more songs and a dozen ads before they were back.

“ _Okay! We’re back! So, we just heard from Regina, and now Snow White is going to talk about her True Love with Charming.”_ Marty said and briefly went over what had already been discussed.

“ _And we have a caller on the line for the first question,” Eryn added. “Caller, you’re on air! Let’s hear your question_.”

“ **Yeah. Hi. Okay, so when you first met your husband, what was it like**?”

“ _It was like_ -“Snow’s brow furrowed. “ _It’s difficult to explain, but it was like the world just stopped. Like in movies when the two leads meet. Everything else just slows down. It was like he was colour- Bright and vibrant. Alive, -and everything else was only shades of grey. I knew I loved him. I didn’t know what it was back then, but I knew I loved him. Sure we fought, but he was always there when I needed him and vice versa_.”

The next question followed on from the information that had just been provided.

“ ** _So you guys fought?”_**

“ _Yeah_!” Snow replied enthusiastically and then her voice trailed off as she thought. “ _We fought a lot when we first met, but as time went on we realised we needed each other and that we made each other better. He just… we worked. We fit together. He saw what I needed and got me there. He stood by me_.”

The morning show continued on with callers asking Snow simple, predictable questions and then the show wound down to a close.

“ _Alright, one last question for Snow White. Caller, go_!”

“ **It’s Romeo** ,” her voice crackled over the radio, the voice disguiser clearly in use now. Marty, Snow, and Eryn all straightened in their seats.

“ _Hey Romeo_.” Eryn was the first to respond. “ _How have you been? Jeremy said you were deciding to woo your woman? How is that going_?”

“ **She is not mine, but it is slow going though I am in it for the long haul**.”

Snow White nearly squealed in her chair and a muffled noise escaped her lips and into the microphone. Her hands were clasped together and she looked almost ready to bounce out of her chair.

“ _The U-Haul_?” Marty asked with a grin before chuckling it off. “ _I’m just kidding. Sorry. Anyway_ ,” he cleared his throat. “ _You have a question for Snow White? Ask away_!”

“ **Charming was a peasant posing as a cruel and arrogant Prince** ,” Romeo got straight into it. “ **You were a spoiled princess on the run and living as a bandit. You didn’t fit any conventional standards, why go for it? Why risk everything for him**?”

Snow had cringed slightly as Romeo spoke, though she would later question how exactly Romeo knew the earlier details as they weren’t wildly known, and took a while to gather her thoughts.

“ _I know that my image took a hit when Charming and I got together, especially among my people who didn’t know he was David, or know the man he is, but that didn’t matter. Nothing did except us. He made me happy, so happy. I could have flown. I didn’t know I was missing him until he was there, and when he wasn’t it was like a gaping hole.”_

Snow went silent for a moment and then continued. “ _He made me believe. In love, in everything, but mostly in myself. I feel like he was made for me, that he is my other half.”_

 **“But what if he didn’t feel the same way? You would have lost everything,”** Romeo interrupted and Snow understood.

“ _You think she won’t love you_? _And that you’ll lose her?”_ Romeo didn’t speak, but her silence was answer enough.

“ _Oh, Romeo…..”_ Snow breathed. “ _Telling her how you feel is_ -” Snow shook her head. “ _You have to tell her, Romeo. Living with the knowledge of how you feel and not telling her will destroy you, and then it will destroy your relationship. And if she is the woman you think she is, she won’t let you go. You have to tell her. You have nothing to lose_.”

“ **And what did you have to lose, Snow? A family? Your friends? Your s** -“Romeo cut off as though afraid she had said so much.

“ _No, Romeo!”_ Snow was beseeching into the airwaves now. “ _I would have lost my best friend, my soulmate_ ,” she said. “ _But I loved him more than I was afraid to lose him. Love is more powerful than fea_ r.”

“ **No** ,” Romeo scoffed. “ **It really isn’t**.” The line clicked as she hung up.

“ _Romeo_?” Marty asked.

“ _Romeo, are you there_?” Eryn tried to call back the number but was unable to get through.

“ _Look, Romeo. I was taught that Love is more powerful than anything else, and it is never, ever wrong. And when you get it, you have to hold onto it and never, ever let it go_.” Snow said strongly, voice radiating powerfully down the airwaves. “ _You have to decide if you love her enough to try, to tell her, or if your fear is stronger, and if it is….then maybe you don’t deserve her_.”

Rolling her eyes internally Regina flicked her wrist at the radio and silenced it as Emma came into the kitchen from where she had gone to the bathroom. She looked…despondent, angry waves rippling from her body and over her skin in thick tendrils of black magic.

“Your mother, once again, shows her complete lack of diplomacy and empathy,” she shook her head and resumed her cutting of the vegetables for their lunch salad. Emma’s darker moments were lessening in frequency and potency, but Regina had learnt to carry on as normal and treat Emma like she always had. The blonde would either calm down or leave and then come back when she was better. Regina suspected she was boxing with a boulder, but didn’t say anything, better a rock face than a human face.

“What did she do?” Emma asked as she slid onto her stool in the kitchen and took a sip of water from her glass. She still seemed distressed, but the tension in her shoulders faded as she lowered the glass onto the table top.

“Hear what she wanted to hear,” Regina grumbled, half to herself, as she piled the greens into a bowl. “I can’t believe they got her on the radio, even that girl with the uncontrollable hair would have been a better choice.”

She paused and glanced at a bemused Emma. “She at least, understands that love can be complicated.”

Huh?

Emma’s confusion must have shown on her face because Regina elaborated. “Rapunzel,” the knife flashed in the sunlight as Regina waved her wrist in an unfamiliar movement of exasperation. “Not everyone finds their True Love and marries them without complication.” She abruptly halted and her jaw line moved as she ducked her head and began to cut ferociously into a tomato.

“Oh, right,” sensing the conversation taking a bitter turn Emma moved the topic on. “Like how her mum wasn’t actually her mum and kidnapped her and kept her locked in a tower?”

“Emma,” Regina groaned, but there was a hint of a smile at her lips as she berated her, “surely you realise by now that Disney is woefully inaccurate for the most part?”

Emma shrugged and she reached out to roll the glass of water between her long fingers. “Snow still thinks of it like a fairy-tale…she never wanted for friends or a family…”

Regina halted her chopping and lifted her head as Emma examined the glass in her hands. “You get that though…waiting for someone to love you until you give up…”

“Emma…” Regina began, voice gentle and eyes soft, and Emma shook her head and glanced up, words falling silently from her lips at the Mayor’s expression.

“Emma, I don’t- Your mother-,” Regina sighed and shook her head, closing her eyes gently. “Snow grew up as a Princess,” she said softly. “The children of the local Lords were all encouraged to be her friend, to treat her better because she was the princess. When she was thirteen there was an accident and it merely proved to her that they were only using her to try and get further in life, or reporting back to their parents or the Ki-, I have no doubt that her first true friend was Miss Lucas.”

Regina’s gaze was looking through Emma now. “The life of a Royal can be very lonely. Never knowing who is there for you, who is on your side for you and won’t stab you in the back, constantly on guard for treason…”

“Least she had people there,” Emma murmured bitterly, almost against her will if the surprise on her features were to be believed.

“Emma,” Regina said hoarsely and reached across the table to rest her hand on Emma’s arm. “There are many things I am guilty for, but if I could go back and change it-” she shook her head, jaw working and eyes bright. She moistened her lips and continued. “I will never be able to forgive myself for taking away your childhood, for taking away your family and I- there is nothing I can ever do to make up for that.” Her voice cracked as she spoke and her hand was warm on Emma’s arm even through her jacket and she pulled away. Regina’s face fell at the perceived rejection and she drew back, Emma’s long, pale fingers snaking forward to snatch onto her fingers and hold them. Regina stared at their joined hands for a moment before staring at Emma.

“You didn’t make them put me in that Wardrobe,” Emma said harshly and the lights flared on and then off. “You didn’t make the Blue Fairy or Geppetto lie to my parents about how many people it would take. You didn’t make August leave me and not come back. You weren’t the Swan’s,” Emma’s breath caught but she continued on, seeing a strange light in Regina’s dark eyes. “Who gave me back. Or countless other people who passed over me because I was too angry and bitter. You weren’t Neal, who decided I wasn’t worth fighting for…you aren’t Killian who claims to care about me but the moment it got tough gave up.” Her fingers were tailing absently, eagerly, across Regina’s skin, aching for more contact, more warmth, more. Her voice softened but she kept her eyes locked on Regina’s.

“You didn’t make them give me up, Regina,” she said gently. “That’s on them. All of them. And since you’ve become my friend….my best friend,” she said carefully, “I’ve always known I can count on you. You haven’t given up on me.” Her thumb was running back and forth across Regina’s skin, and her own tingled where the warmth radiated form their joint hands. Something powerful was humming under her skin, pressing against it, like it was eager to get to out, to get to Regina.

“And I won’t,” Regina said softly, and it echoed like a vow in the room and in Emma’s heart, bouncing off the bone prison of her chest and rattling the chains that kept her bound. I won’t. I won’t. I won’t. I. Won’t.

A knocking at the door made them jerk apart, both frowning slightly at the loss of contact and Regina walked down the hall to the door, leaving Emma alone in the kitchen with her thoughts. Her hand tingled and she glanced at it, as it had been in contact with Regina and it was pathetic at how her heart did a funny jumping thing at the thought, but then she froze, staring at her hand in awe.

The skin that had been in contact with Regina was pink and healthy, slowly fading like when you walked on wet sand and water rushed back to the footprint. “You love me,” she breathed in wonder and something similar to a bell went off in her chest, rolling in the cavern of her heart until it echoed and roared like the bells in Notre Dame must sound. “She loves me. “ A smile split her face, cracking it in two, unfamiliar as it was with emotion. “Regina loves me!”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“Thank you for coming in, Regina,” David smiled reassuringly as the door clicked shut behind the Mayor and she gracefully took a seat in the interview room. Tod was already seated opposite her and David fell into the chair next to him and then leant forward. Tod clicked a button on a recording device and then ran through the protocol, stating the date, those present, and why they were present. Each of the three spoke their name so that they could be identified later through the audio.

“Okay, this is David Nolan, acting Sheriff. I am interviewing Mayor Regina Mills with Deputy Tod Walters in regards to the murder of Lucy Tremaine.” He added the date and then added additional information, the fire at both the Mirror and the forest fire, as well as the unsolved murder of Robin Hood in case it would relate to the questions asked.

He started with simple questions, ones that he had seen and heard on film and television for much of his cursed memory and then discussed the fire, in greater detail, when she last saw Robin, her memory of her injuries and any reason she would have to hurt or kill Robin. David had been reluctant to go into her failed relationship with Robin but Tod had insisted and he had done his duty. Thankfully Regina was a much more neutrally mannered person now days and he didn’t pay for his insensitivity with his life, but he got that Regina was not impressed as he pushed her. They had gone around and around with each of the questions, trying to trap her out and she grew increasingly frustrated, her answers cutting and starting to draw blood. Tod had shifted uncomfortable with several of her response back at him and David had to keep the conversation rolling.

Regina eventually snapped and snarled out, “If I wanted him dead you wouldn’t have been able to tell it was me,” after Tod brought up her alleged murder of the former Sheriff, Sheriff Graham, in response to her not taking Robin’s rejection of her well. (David had put that information aside for later, not liking that his daughter may have been involved with the Huntsman as he had a reputation in the EF that had been earned, and Regina hadn’t exactly confessed to having anything to do with that, but it did make her finally break her composure, so maybe there was some truth to the theory). “The same for the fire, and for the murder of Lady Tremaine. If I wanted her dead, it would look like an accident and there would be no evidence to point at me!”

David and Tod shared a look and then Tod nodded and reached forward to turn off the recorder.

“We know,” David said as he leant back and couldn’t quite hide the flash of fear he felt as the Queen’s murderous glare caught and held him in place.

“Then why have you held me in here for five and a half hours going over the exact same questions in different ways?” The Queen’s voice was cutting and precise, rage uncoiling under the surface of her skin.

“We think you are being set up,” Tod offered an apologetic smile when Regina’s infamous glare snared him in place and he ducked his head sheepishly.

“And this interview is, what, exactly?”

“We needed to pretend to have you as a suspect, try to draw the killer out.”

Regina took a deep breath and the tension drained from her body. “I suspected,” she said slowly. “It can’t have been a coincidence that Robin was murdered, then the fire was set at the Mirror and then the author of the article was killed.” She paused and her brow furrowed as she looked between the two. “Why do you think I didn’t do it? I have no alibi, as you established over little over an hour ago, for these events, and all you have is my word on the matter.”

David ducked his head to the side and Regina had to blink at the similarity he had with his daughter in that moment. “I know. But you said you didn’t do it, and you have changed.”

Regina arched a brow. “Let me catch whoever orphaned Roland and you will see just how much of the Evil Queen I still am,” she offered mildly, a hint of a darker promise beneath her words.

“Right. Well.” Tod nodded. “We also know that you wouldn’t do that to Roland, and the evidence is so blatantly pointing towards you that it’s almost comedic. The only thing that would make it look more obvious is if we found one of your kitchen knives in Lucy Tremaine with a handwritten note pinned to her body saying that you did it.”

“I _do_ have more tact than that,” Regina said, faintly amused by the visual. “Do you have any suspects?” Regina paused for a moment and then nodded slightly. “Apart from the usual.”

The two policemen shook their heads. “We were hoping you may have an idea.”

Regina shook her head at David’s question. “Aside from the entire population?” She arched a brow and sighed softly. “No, not really. What do you have on the case?”

David and Tod shared a look again before the latter slid a manila folder across the desk to the Mayor. “It is unconventional, but as our superior, the Mayor, and as a Magical Advisor we felt you needed to be aware, that you are the intended suspect means you could be in danger if they-whoever is framing you-doesn’t get what they want.”

Regina nodded once and took the folder, her hair falling forward as she quickly perused the relevant information.

“You don’t have much,” she noted several minutes later as she closed the folder and clasped her hands on top of it.

“We were hoping you could help us out with that. Mother Superior was unable to detect any magic at the Mirror, and couldn’t make it to the Tremaine residence when we asked.”

“But there was magic at the fire? And with-with Robin?”

“Blue thinks so.” David nodded and leant back in his chair.

“I would like to check myself,” Regina said, steel entering her tone, it was not a request. “Fairy magic is different to other magic, they rely on nature, on fairy dust,” her lip curled in a partial sneer, “so her readings may not be 100% accurate.”

“Alright,” the Sheriff offered no argument. “I’ll take you out there now. If that suits?”

Regina’s lip curled. “You’ve had me since eleven thirty, David, what does another hour or two matter.”

Suddenly sheepish David slid his chair back with a scrape. “We can do it another day! I’m sure you want to get home to Henry and Em-.” He fell silent and pressed his lips together, focusing blue eyes on her with a puppy like expression.

Regina’s signature brow arch conveyed her curiosity and she rose fluidly to her feet, bearing regal. “Do continue, David.”

“Ahm,” David pulled at his collar as Tod gathered the files and quickly left the room, leaving the two alone in the interview room. “Nope. No, I’m good.”

Regina waited until his eyes lifted from the floor before catching them and nodding once. “She isn’t ready to see you, David. She is-“

David lifted a hand and smiled at Regina. “It’s okay, Regina. I know,” he said and nodded to solidify his commitment to the idea. “I’m willing to wait, as long as it takes until she is ready. I know you’ll keep her safe.”

He smiled at her and then gestured to the door, opening it and guiding her through it with a gentle hand to her back.

“Shall we take the truck? Or do you want to use magic?”

“It is best we drive there, David. My magic will mix with whatever magic is already there and make it harder for me to identify.”

They drove out to the woods first, parking in the car lot before walking the rest of the way to where Robin had died. Regina was silent. David would have thought she unaffected but for the slight tightening around her eyes and the movement of her jaw. The air had started to clear, no longer thick and heavy with smoke, but it lingered, and would cling to their clothes when they left.

As they got closer David drew back slightly, following Regina and ready to let her view it with her magic to see if she could locate anything Blue missed.

She hesitated out from the bright paint that Tod had used to outline the body and stared at it for a while before blinking hard and then looking around the rest of the clearing.

“Roland and I were over there,” she said, flicking a perfectly manicured hand nonchalantly over to where she had teleported the boy out of the forest.

“It took more magic than I had to get him away after I had done the same for the Merry Men and halted the fires path up that way.” She looked through the brunt and bowed trees as though she could see the tree barrier she had made when she had first got to the forest.

David nodded. “Blue said you started to use your life force to get him out.” He offered a half smile. “I think she was impressed.”

Regina gave a grunt in reply, attention caught by a patch of ashes earth.

“Here,” she said absently, walking over to the spot and peering down at it.

“Interesting.”

David kept quiet as she closed her eyes and rolled her fingers as she brought her palms up to shoulder height. She said something, a word he had never heard before, and then purple light was spilling from her fingers and coating the ground like a mist. It rolled to the edge of the clearing and then snaked its way up the shells of the trees and back over until they were encased in a dome of purple. Then she said another word and released the magic, opening her eyes as it drew back to her, coiling on the ground before rising into her palms and settling into her skin.

What was left was coloured fire, it lingered on the ground, on the burnt husks of trees and even ribboned in the air like the Northern Lights. Regina snapped her wrist and the forest grew around them, small tuffs of grass burst through the soil and spread across the ground as tiny shoots of trees soared into the sky. The hairs on the back of his neck rose to attention and a shudder ran down his spine. He could feel the magic in the air, and he didn’t like it. When they were done it was like the fire had never come through here, but David could smell and taste the smoke and the ground beneath his boots cracked and creaked as he shifted his feet and he realised that it was merely an illusion.

“Regina?” He asked quietly and she held up a hand to silence him and he obediently caught his next words before they could fall from his lips.

She made another gesture with her hand and then the magical fire changed colour. Over where she had crouched with Roland it was bright white, almost blinding. David had memories of high school science class where they burnt magnesium and it was bright like that. It was the embodiment of purity, of goodness, of Light. Offering your Life force as fuel for your magic to save someone else ought to do that, he decided at the back of his mind.

There was a faint light, a navy blue that flashed and flickered like glitter and he guessed that that must have been the Blue Fairy using her magic a few days earlier. But what made him swallow was over by the outline of a body. The magic there was black, hungry as though sucking in all of the light. It made his skin crawl just to look at it. He wasn’t attuned to magic, but he knew what this would feel like, what it would taste like. He shuddered. It was Dark; angry, and violent. His fingers itched with something to hold on to, to draw a sword or even his gun to rid the world of this presence, and it was only the essence of someone, what would the being feel like?

Regina had gone still, almost predator like, and was staring at the withering mass with narrowed eyes. Lip curling in a sneer she lifted her hand and purple light surrounded the Dark magic and flashed and sparked like fireworks as the two combined.

After a moment the magic flared purple before erupting over the clearing and devouring the remaining magic before dissipating into the air. The illusion flickered and faded away, leaving the burnt trees and charcoal underfoot.

Regina was staring at the area of magic, brow furrowed and lips pursed. Eventually she drew back from her thoughts to address David. “What did Mother Superior have to say about the magic?”

David shrugged. “She said it was Dark, and angry, and it killed Robin.” It was only when he had finished speaking that he realised what he had said and who had heard him. He winced but Regina ignored it.

“She is correct,” Regina said calmly. “The magic had layers of intention in it. The first few are fear and posturing, for lack of a better word, but the last two are to restrain…” Regina swallowed and glanced up at the area above where Robin had died. “And to kill,” she finished, voice cracking slightly. “I recognise the spell, it’s one I used to use.”

She lifted on of her hands and rolled her wrist in an elegant movement and the move reminded David instantly of when he had faced her in battle and she had slaughtered his troops with the exact same move. He cringed slightly before reminding himself that this woman wasn’t that woman anymore and he met her gaze squarely when he saw she noticed.

He offered her a half smile and then blurted, “You let us go.”

She turned to fully face him as his cheeks flushed slightly and he ran his fingers through his hair, trying to find the words for what he had just realised.

“You could have killed us all. Easily, even,” he said in response to her arched brow and he saw a glimmer of understanding in her eyes. “But you let us go,” his brow was furrowed in confusion.

“Why?”

Regina turned and started to walk back the way they had come and he jogged to catch up to her. They were silent for a moment, the only sound the crunching of the fractured undergrowth and the crinkle as their steps took them across the burnt ground.

“The Darkness is….odd,” she said eventually, a crease between her brows. “People who aren’t Dark, or have never been Dark don’t understand it. Sure, they say it’s bad and all you think about is murder and mayhem, but… it’s not like that.” She shook her head. “It’s all perfectly logical,” she said, keeping her gaze straight ahead, eyes on her path. “There is no such thing as an overreaction, everything is justifiable. The Darkness whispers and coos, it’s always there, at the back of your mind, in every thought there is some strand that urges you to choose the darker path, but it never seems Dark… eventually everything you do is Dark.”

She was silent again, and David kept his council, feeling she had more to say.

“I never saw what I was doing as Dark,” she said abruptly, her thought pattern was all over the place. “It was just magic. A tool; as useful to you as your sword, neither good nor bad, it just is. I couldn’t do it, at first. I struggled for so long,” the lines around her eyes tightened and she was looking ahead but into the past. “I didn’t have the wrath and reason…until I did.” She lifted her shoulder slightly in a delicate version of a shrug.

“And I just got worse,” she said as they arrived at the truck and David unlocked it. “And by then there was no turning back. David got inside and slid across the seat to let Regina in and she had to hold the roof handle to get herself onto the seat as it was a little too tall for her. She was quiet then, deep in her own thoughts and David still hadn’t had his question answered but he thought he best not push it.

They drove to the burnt shell that used to contain the Storybrooke Mirror newspaper and pulled into park near the curb. The building had police tape around the outside and various warning signs around it. Regina slid out of the truck and David hid his grin as he did the same, easily stepping down as his legs were much longer.

He took advantage of his stride to catch up to Regina as she strode into the building, pausing briefly to flick her hand at the structure. Hoping that whatever she had just done would make sure the building wouldn’t collapse on them David entered the burnt husk behind her.

“Did you read the report?” David asked as Regina lifted her hands and said the same words she had spoken earlier in the clearing. Around him the building grew and morphed, the skeletal structure expanding and forming dull white walls and a large bench and printing equipment. There was a glass office in the corner with the name tag _Harold Phillips_ on the door. There were steps to go upstairs and down, and he guessed that more workstations were above and Lucy Tremaine’s office. No doubt it was nicer upstairs, with a nice view of the main street and down to the harbour.

“Of course,” Regina said simply, though he caught her eye-roll. Duh, of course she had read the report, Regina was many things, but an incompetent Mayor was not one of them.

The floor changed from linoleum to concrete as they went down the steps and into the basement. The wind rushed through the building and pulled playfully at their clothes, carrying with it the acidic tang of smoke reminding him that it wasn’t a sound building he was in. David crossed his fingers as he descended, hoping that Regna had indeed sealed the structure of it, and nothing would fall on them. The basement was lit with sunlight, partial holes in the roof above letting the light in. Regina flicked her fingers again and magic flared over in the corner.

Interest piqued the duo moved closer and saw that it was the main for the water system, a series of large padlocks locking it into an ‘on’ position. A plastic sheet on the wall had a service date, time, and employee signature to certify the sprinkler system was sound. It was the signature of the fire chief himself, as he had said at the scene and in his report.

Regina flicked her fingers again and the image fell, leaving a charred mess on the wall and charcoal stained concrete. The water pipes were bent and bowed and melted in parts and Regina laid her hand over the top and closed her eyes for a moment before drawing away.

“The magic went through the pipes to the water main, “she inclined her head towards the town where the water pipe obviously was, “has been blocked. He or she locked it to the entire building, I doubt even the taps in the staff room would work.”

David nodded slowly. “That makes sense. Jake said there was no water to the building.”

Regina nodded. “The fire started over there. It was pushed through the entire building but there is something else here. If the fire was as strong as it feels, then the building should have burnt to the ground with the people in it, even before I was called.”

“Witness statements said the arsonist set the fire once they were sure everyone was evacuating,” the Sheriff offered.

“They also held the fire until they were sure,” Regina said as she began to ascend the steps back to the floor level. The crumbled walls and collapsed floors were an obstacle that had been cleared from their path, and acted as a guide on either side as they exited the building. David hadn’t seen them before as the illusion had covered the ground and walls and he had followed Regina.

“Are you okay to go to Lucy Tremaine’s?”

Regina glanced at the sky and then nodded. “Let me just ring home.” She dug out her cell as they walked back to the truck and brought it to her ear a few moments later. David got inside and unlocked Regina’s door as she greeted whoever answered and he turned the radio on to give her a bit of privacy, though he itched to know what was being said as he heard his daughters name mentioned.

Less than a minute later she was opening the cab and getting inside jamming her phone into her front pocket. Their drive to the residence was accompanied with modern pop songs on the radio and ads for the local stores.

David parked the truck and the two got out and began to walk towards the house, David gesturing for Regina to go first. She unlocked it with a wave of her hand and the door silently opened for her.

The moment Regina entered the house she paused and her eyes flashed purple.

“Regina?”

She ignored him and began to walk faster into the house, hesitating in the hall and peering into the kitchen, before continuing down towards the end of the hall. David was frowning after her as she walked unguided to Lucy’s room and stood in the doorway as the door opened for her. The room had been cleaned of the evidence had been collected and now smelt strongly of cleaning products. The mattress, pillows, sheets and duvet had been taken away and all that was left of the bed was the wooden frame.

Regina closed her eyes and lifting her hands and David hovered at her shoulder, wondering what it was that she was seeing.

Minutes later she gasped, eyes flowing open in shock and she stumbled back into David, his hands coming up to steady her in alarm.

“Regina?”

She leant against him staring aghast at the room and he asked her what was wrong as she seemed shell shocked.

“Regina?!What’s wrong?” Alarm was entering his tone now, whatever it was she had seen or detected obviously startled her immensely.

“It’s me,” she said and David was unable to get a reading on what emotion laced her tone, there were several; shock, surprise, wonder, fury, horror. “They killed her for me. To protect me.”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

_My dearest Regina,_

_I have written this letter to you a hundred times, only to have it fail at what it is I want to convey. It should be so simple, and yet there is so much for me to say, how could I possible fit it on this page? I’m not very good with words, but I have decided to be upfront- even as I hide my identity- with my feelings for you. I don’t what to pressure you into anything, or make you feel something that isn’t there, but I can no longer be silent. I love you. I am in love with you._

_I have never tried to court a queen if that is what this is. Honestly, I just want to make you happy. I want to be the reason you smile. I know it’s corny and cliché but it is tried and true and you are worthy of so much more than me, but I will write to you every day in the hope that it makes your heart lighter, or give you an excuse to set something on fire, at least until I get brave enough to stand on your doorstep and tell you who I am and how I feel._

_I know you are in pain right now, and if my gestures can’t be taken as romantic, then please take them as an offer of friendship, a shoulder to cry on. I don’t need you to love me, but I do need you to know that you are worthy of it, and that I love you with all of my heart._

_This isn’t a prank, I swear, so please hear what I have to say and be open to it. I love you. Please let me get the words out, you deserve it._

 

 

After the first letter on the Monday Regina Mills received a letter or a note every day for the next three weeks. They came with food, flowers, chocolates, wine, pictures, and even films, television shows and even books that the author thought she would like. Sometimes her stalker talked about her, in highly flattering light; her smile, her laugh, her eyes, her heart, her leadership, Henry, her family, her past. They didn’t bring up her crimes very often, but when they did she got the feeling that they understood her.

She would return home some days to find large vases of flowers around the house, they had been delivered while she had been at work and Emma had put them in crystal vases with some water. Regina didn’t have the heart to take them down, they lit the rooms and always smelt so good, but if her stalker thought to woo her with flowers then he had another thing coming.

Her days and weeks after her discovery on that sunny Saturday afternoon in Lucy Tremaine’s house were as though the curse had never broken. She went to work as usual and the town settled back into slumber after the past three events. The only difference was the clean-up, of both fires, and the letters and gifts that kept on coming. Emma still lived with her and kept it a secret from most of the town, though she was spending more time with Henry and had started to text David like she used to, it was nothing personal, just cat videos she had found on the internet. David was ecstatic though, responding in kind but making sure to let her know that he (and Snow) loved her and were waiting for her to come to them. She wasn’t in contact with Snow, but David passed on information about her and Neal to Emma and would relay that Emma was talking to him to Snow.

The investigation into the arsonist and murderer had hit a wall, he or she was quiet for the moment and the town was uneasy over it, but had begrudgingly let it slide, though still discussed it over coffee.

Emma and Regina were still having their night time conversations. More often than not Emma would teleport herself to Regina’s room so that they could talk face to face, especially when the content was, in her words, ‘deep emotional shit’. They fell asleep touching or holding hands and when Emma woke up-she made sure she was the first one out, not wanting to pressure or scare Regina- they were curled together, drawing comfort from each other even in sleep.

 

_I love you._

_Did you know that when you smile the world stops?_

_I think of ways to make you laugh, and memorise each time that you do._

_I didn’t know what missing you felt like until I did, and I realised I have for all of my life._

_I saw this quote on the internet and thought of you._

_There are azaleas in your garden, I hope these brighten your day._

_I didn’t realise I was lost until I met you._

 

With a snarl Regina took the vase of flowers accompanying the latest note and tossed them into the bin and went back to her typing. The terrified delivery boy bolted for the door without waiting for her tip and the door shut behind him. She was certain her secretary was cooing over the notes and the flowers. She’d probably already taken a photo and messaged her group chat about it. Honestly. The peasants had more pressing issues to focus on that her stalkers pathetic attempts at courting her.

Winter was only a few months away and already the weather was heralding its arrival. She was waiting for confirmation of her annual order of salt and sand, and had typed a newsletter to send to the maintenance departments. She had done so every year, advising them that snow and ice would soon be here and for their machinery to be ready. Many of the stores had started to advertise their winter stock and she idly considered taking Henry shopping for his winter clothes, he’d grown since last year. The thought sent a hang of longing for her little boy, but was overwhelmed by motherly pride and love. Maybe they could go on Saturday as she didn’t know how many of them would be left peaceful. He was going out for sports, Soccer. She didn’t know how she felt about it, but decided of all the physical pursuits he could get involved in, Soccer seemed the least violent and dangerous. Her main concern was the mud and rain and snow and if he got cold and then sick. He was a bear when he was ill.

There was a wave of coloured smoke crawling across the floor and Regina looked up to see Emma materialise in the room. She had been stabilising as the weeks crawled their way through autumn and her clothing and appearance had started to reflect her balance. Regina liked to think she and Henry had something to do with that. She had started wearing her jeans and jackets again, and had her hands looped through her pockets as she appeared in the centre of the room, grin growing as she noticed the flowers in the rubbish bin.

“What, you didn’t like the -ah, flowers? Roses? ” She asked innocently and Regina rolled her eyes. Emma had taken to teasing her mercilessly about her stalker, often making her laugh with her wild guesses about their identity, and sometimes making her grimace in disgust.

“Orchids,” she said glancing to the top of her bin where the flowers sat prettily, mocking her with a red ribbon.

“And what did the note say?” She asked as she bounded across to Regina’s desk. The Mayor rolled her eyes and directed her to the bin. The Dark Saviour dug in the bin for the note and withdrew it and the flowers, cleaning them both with a flick of her fingers. Gathering the flowers to her other arm she read out the note.

“I didn’t realise I was lost until I met you.”

Regina felt something in her chest flicker and cursed it internally, schooling her expression least it give her away. Ever since she had started throwing out the letters and gifts Emma would always find them and bring them back to her, grinning like a proud puppy that had fetched their master’s slipper. In the beginning she would make snide comments, tease her, say she had seen this dwarf or this former troll buying these gifts, and then they would laugh. She would then act out the letter in the most dramatic fashion she could think of, even falling to her knees with faux tears in her eyes as she professed her undying love. At first Regina had laughed along with her, finding the blonde’s antics funny, but as the weeks wore on she noticed that the best part of her unwelcome admirer was that Emma would voice the words, and her heart jolted each time the heartfelt letters fell from her lips. There was something sweet and warm about having someone she cared about say these beautiful things, it almost felt like being loved. It was the only reason she tolerated the blonde seeing the letters and reading them.

Emma looked up from the note and her smile faltered and her head titled. “What?”

Regina shook herself and then a smile curled her lips. “You aren’t going to act it out? Clutch your heart dramatically?” She arched a brow in question.

Suddenly understanding Emma grinned and then flopped dramatically to the floor. “Oh Regina! Rose of my heart!” Regina lifted her hand to hide her giggle as Emma rose onto her knees, eyes wide. “Light of my life! Queen of my dreams!”

A hand was on her chest over her heart and the other was raised above her towards Regina, offering her the flowers. “I didn’t realise I was lost until I met you!” Her lips were pursed earnestly and then she straightened and bowed extravagantly.

“Thank you, thank ye very much!”

“Your Elvis impersonating needs some work,” Regina informed her but she was smiling. Then her eyes narrowed, “Miss Roberts!” she questioned, “Did you need something?” The words were polite her voice and raised eyebrow clearly told her that she didn’t need anything. Her assistant flushed, wide eyes darting from Emma and her flowers to Regina and back again. “I-I heard a noise,” she stammered before quickly apologising and closing the door.

Emma barked a laugh but Regina was frowning at the closed door. “Can tick ‘terrifying the help’ off of my to-do list for today. What’s wrong?”

Regina’s brow smoothened and then she shook her head at Emma and the blonde shrugged. “What’s for tea? It smelt amazing.”

“Silverside and vegetables. No, don’t give me that look. Vegetables are an important part of a balance diet,” Regina said with the exasperation of someone who had had the conversation many times.

“I have a balanced diet!” Emma defended with a grin and flopped onto the chair in front of Regina’s desk.

“Miss Swan, the only balancing you do is if your ice-cream bowl will remain on your knees while you watch television.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open. “Well, that’s rude.”

Regina lifted her head from her paperwork and arched a brow.

“It’s the pizza box,” Emma said with a grin and placed her boots on Regina’s desk.

Dark eyes narrowed on them and followed the boots up Emma’s jeans and then to her smug face.

“Boots of my desk,” she warned and then went back to her report.

Emma huffed but did as commanded. A few moments later she started to bounce her foot on the floor. Regina ignored her for as long as possible, managing just over three minutes, before she looked up with a glare. Emma stilled and looked sheepish and Regina went back to her work, again.

Then the drumming started. It was only Emma’s fingers on her jeans but the drumming was starting to irritate her.

“Miss Swan!”

“I’m just so bored,” the Dark Saviour moaned, tossing her head back over the chair and staring beseechingly at the ceiling. It was a ceiling.

“Find a way to entertain yourself,” Regina suggested with a glare.

“Argh,” Emma groaned and then went quiet and still, trying to contain her energy.

Regina had a few moments peace before, “I know!”

She jumped a little at the sudden noise and inhaled sharply, staring intently at Emma.

“I have to get these reports done.”

“They can wait til tomorrow,” Emma said and was on her feet looking excited.

Regina sighed. “I really need to get these done, Emma.”

Emma frowned at the reports and then waved her hand over them and they vanished from Regina’s desk.

“Emma,” Regina rose to her feet with an imperious glare, and were she not the Dark One she would have been cowed, but the Darkness would kneel to no one, not even Evil Queens.

“It’ll be there tomorrow,” she promised and held her hand out for Regina. The Mayor appraised her for a long moment before sighing and rolling her eyes. She slowly took the offered hand and Emma grinned, and then they vanished in a plume of light grey smoke.

“Emma!”

Emma just laughed and pulled Regina closer as her magic teleported them somewhere else.

They materialised outside Granny’s Diner and Regina pulled herself from Emma’s arms with a scowl that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Don’t do that,” she slapped at the blonde’s arm and Emma just grinned and gestured towards the restaurant. It was after school but before most adults would finish work, so the dinner rush hadn’t started yet and there was a lull in the customers. They turned to look at the newcomers and then froze in shock.

It was the first time Emma had been out in public in just under half a year and she was immediately greeted by a shocked but happy Ruby. The waitress came around the front of the counter with a grin and her arms wide. “Ems!”

The Saviour Dark One looked highly uncomfortable with the contact but allowed the embrace, patting Ruby hesitantly on the back.

“Hi, Ruby,” Emma said and pulled away, drawing into herself. The two were staring at each other awkwardly; Ruby not knowing what to say and Emma not wanting to prolong the conversation.

Regina pointedly cleared her throat and when Ruby turned to look at her she caught her gaze and held it. “We are here to collect Roland,” she said, glancing to Emma to see that that was why she had brought them here.

Emma bobbed her head in agreement and Ruby glanced between the two before frowning. “Mulan has him,” she said slowly. “I thought you knew? They came and got him this morning.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t know. Maybe they forgot to tell me.”

“Well, “Ruby shrugged, “he isn’t your son. They don’t have to tell you everything.”

Regina’s brow tightened and Emma shifted next to her but stayed silent. “No, I guess not,” but she didn’t seem happy about it.

“I thought it was your week with him,” Emma said coldly, as she turned to Regina.

“It is,” she nodded and she looked puzzled. “Shall we go see what this is about?”

Emma nodded and then caught Ruby’s wince and turned to face her fully.

“Ruby? She drawled in question and the waitress glanced to Regina and back to Emma.

“What do you know?”

The waitress shook her head and looked apologetically at the Mayor. “I overheard,” she began, then closed her eyes briefly and shook her head again. “They aren’t happy that Robin’s murderer still has gone unfound and as Regina is the prime suspect……” she trailed off apologetically, not missing the flash of fury glinting in Emma’s eyes.

Regina just looked heartbroken. “And they don’t want me around his son if they think I killed his father,” she sighed and closed her eyes.

Ruby nodded. “Yeah.”

“We’ll go and see them,” Emma snarled and then the duo were teleported from the diner.

“Emma!” Regina groaned as she got her bearings as soon as the smoke cleared. They were in the forest, to the north, up by Pine Creek Falls and could see smoke curling into the grey skies ahead of them. “I hate it when other people teleport me,” she sighed as she began to walk towards the camp, Emma bouncing alongside her, sheepish grin in place and hands in her pockets.

“Sorry,” Emma offered, not looking one bit sorry.

“Please don’t do it again, or at least warn me next time,” Regina suggested with shake of her head.

“Yup!”

Their approach to the camp was met with armed Merry Men and suspicious stares though no one moved to stop them. There were tents (which had been donated by townsfolk or bought by Regina for Robin and his Men) around a campfire where Mulan sat with Roland reading a picture book with him.

She looked up when they approached and looked puzzled by their arrival but nudged Roland to look at them. The small boy’s smile lit his face and he gave an excited squeal and wiggled down from his wooden stool to run to Regina. “’Gina!” He called and his little legs ran over the ground towards them with a toothless grin and arms wide.

Regina beamed at him and moved a few steps forward to meet him, only to frown in confusion when one of the Merry Men grabbed him about the waist and lifted him into the air. He giggled in surprise and squirmed as the man tickled him playfully.

Regina’s eyes narrowed as another two men came up to flank the first, hands on weapons and eyes guarded. Roland squirmed again. “Lemme down! I see ‘Gina!” To his displeasure he was held tightly and the man holding him took him over to Mulan.

“What’s this?” Regina asked sharply and straightened, power falling about her like a cape as the man tried to offer the boy to the female warrior. She raised a brow and rose, looking in confusion between the two sorcerers and the Merry Men.

“It is my week for Roland,” Regina said calmly and glared at Mulan. “I don’t know why you took him without asking.”

Mulan’s brow tightened. “I was informed that you no longer wished to be a part of Roland’s life,” the warrior said calmly, and her hand rested on the pommel of her sword. “Was I misinformed?”

“Who told you that? Regina snarled and visibly made an effort to control her wrath, catching sight of Roland held firmly by the first Merry Man.

“Seth?” Mulan walked up to the two men standing between Emma and Regina, and Roland.

“She murdered Robin. And you’re okay to have her around his son? No,” he shook his head, blonde hair falling around his head like a dirt mop. “I’ll not have it.”

“I didn’t kill Robin,” Regina ground out, voice gravelly like a rockslide. “I have nothing but care for and love that boy,” she took a step forward and the men flinched, hands tightening on weapons. More had come out of the woods at the commotion and Emma flicked her finger at their backs, just in case.

“You are the only one who could have,” protested Seth bitterly, hatred lacing his voice.

Emma growled shifted and Regina placed her hand on her leather arm, halting the movement while still maintaining eye contact with the new leader of the Merry Men.

“I did not kill him,” Regina said stiffly, keeping her voice lowered as Roland shifted uncertainly in the hold of the man that had him. “I swear. You have no right to keep Roland from me,” she hissed, voice rising and falling dangerously.

“And you have no right to him!” Seth growled back at her.

“Nor do you, by our laws. The laws of the land that you are now a part of,” Regina pointed out.

“We agreed that Regina could see Roland, still be a part of his life,” Mulan said diplomatically. “Robin would have wanted that, did want that, even though they were not a couple.”

Regina inclined her head at the warrior, though still kept looking at Seth.

“That was before she killed him,” Seth spat at her.

Snarling Emma lifted her hand and Regina took it in her own before she could use her magic, startling the blonde enough that she halted her attack and looked at Regina. The Mayor was pointedly not looking at Emma, though maintained her hold on her. Emma was looking down at their joined hands in surprise and ignored the slight as she was distracted by the feeling of Regina’s hand in hers. She had never done anything like that outside of their rooms, outside of their safe nightly bubble, and so Emma had never been able to _see_ how well their hands fit together, like matching puzzle pieces.

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you imbeciles but I didn’t kill Robin! I tried to save him! I saved all of you!” The Queen’s infamous short temper had reached the end of its wick and she took another step forward, ignoring how the men closed ranks, and her index finger speared through the air to emphasise her point.

“And we’re just meant to take your word for it?” Asked another of the men, the one that stood to Seth’s left.

“To be fair,” Mulan interrupted, “The Queen did risk her life saving many of you. And she nearly died saving Roland.”

“A ploy,” said Seth. “To gain our trust and Robin’s, and then she kills him!”

“Why?!” Regina’s voice cracked, just once, on the word. “Why would I kill him?”

There was a moment’s silence, punctuated by the faint sound of the waterfall to the rear of the camp. Roland was crying now, not liking being restrained and not liking the adults fighting around him.

He hiccupped and Regina turned her gaze on him, walking a few steps forward to try to comfort him, but the Merry Men drew together, weapons coming up dangerously.

“We can’t prove it, and obviously the law enforcement is as corrupt as it was back home, but you did it.” Seth said eventually. “We don’t want you near Roland, or us.”

“Please leave,” said the one who stood to Seth’s right. Regina recognised him as one of the men she had saved from the fire and he looked conflicted but eventually decided to stand with his brothers, the only people he had.

“I accept that you don’t want me near you, and that’s fine,” Regina said stiffly. “But I still want to be a part of Roland’s life. Surely we can arrange some sort of schedule and have an intermediary at the exchange? Mulan,” she asked the stoic warrior, “would you be willing to do so?”

Mulan inclined her head regally. “Of course.”

“That’s not your decision to make,” Seth shook his head at Mulan.

“Nor is it yours,” she offered quietly. “You are not Robin’s father.”

“His father is dead,” snapped Seth. “And she killed him,” the finger pointing at Regina made Emma tense and her eyes flashed red for a moment, though Regina squeezed her hand and she reluctantly settled. When she looked over at Regina the brunette was frowning slightly, head tilted to the side in appraisal. Emma raised a brow, confused, and Regina turned back to Seth without saying anything.

“I will not let you push me from Roland’s life,” Regina drew herself up. “I don’t want to fight you, but I will if I have to.” Around her the Merry Men finally drew their weapons at a sign from Seth.

“If it’s a fight you want, it’s a fight you will get,” he vowed and his grip on his spear tightened. “But you won’t get Roland.”

“Please,” Regina snarled. “I can kill all if you with a wave of my hand.”

“Like you did Robin?” Seth asked innocently.

“I.Did.Not.Kill.Robin!” Regina said very slowly and very clearly. The vein in her temple was stark against her skin and her knuckles were white with the strain of her clenched fists.

“We do not want a fight,” Mulan offered, the only one who had yet to draw a weapon. “Can’t we decide this peacefully?”

“I only want to spend time with Roland,” Regina said quickly. “I am more than happy to settle this peacefully.”

“You will never spend time with Roland again!” Seth said and spat at her, offering a series of curses calling her parentage and sex life into question.

Mere seconds later he was dangling from a tree, vine like limbs wrapping around his own and pulling warningly. The Merry Men shouted and loosened a few arrows at the two women, and Regina easily caught the one aiming for her head and set it on fire. The others were caught in Emma explosive net and were burnt to ash as the magic expanded. The Merry Men were flung backwards, all but Roland and Mulan, and then Emma, no, the Dark One, was right up in Seth’s face.

“You Merry Men,” she said conversationally, power rippling over her skin and sparking from her fingertips. “You think you can say and do whatever you like to whoever you like.”

“Emma?” Regina asked warily, extinguishing the fireball in her palm. Emma cast her a smile but continued to speak to Seth.

“But you can’t,” she cooed softly. “There are stronger and better people out there and you will be crushed like the insect that you are.”

“Emma,” Regina said warningly and took a few steps forward. The Merry Men were cautiously getting to their feet, eyes wide as the Dark One kept Seth in her sights.

“Now,” she flicked her hand and the trees lifted, pulling Seth high into the air. “Apologise to Regina, or die.”

Though he was pale with fear his eyes narrowed in defiance. “I aint apologising to that bitch. She killed Robin!”

Emma sighed, loudly. “No,” she drawled patronisingly. “She didn’t kill Robin.”

Seth frowned and Regina let out a muffled choked sound that Emma missed. “How’d you know?”

“Because…. I did,” her lips curled maliciously around the words and her eyes glinted. “I killed Robin.”


	8. Part Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina has a decision to make and her admirer steps up. TW(ish): Murder and murder framed as suicide. Also reference to abuse and character death.

 PART EIGHT

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The waves crashed on the wet sand and grumbled before retreating and drawing for another charge. Foam clung to the sand like frosting and little streams of water collected flecks of sand on their way back to the sea. The next wave coiled like a panther and then struck, roaring happily up the sandy beach, wind catching the thrown spray and tossing it into the air. The rain cast ripples along the uneven surface of the water, growling dark grey clouds meeting rampant waves as the horizon began to merge into one grey palette. One of the things she loved about the ocean was how steady it was. It’s heart pulsed rhythmically, forward…..and back…..

Waves coiled and loosed, and then retreated to gather and began the entire process again. No matter how angry the sea was- and it was angry or maybe it was sad- it remained resolute, in and out, in and out. Certain.

Her arrival at the beach in a crack of purple smoke had made gulls shriek as they took to the skies and she had to resist throwing a fireball after them. They screeched at her mockingly as they flew away, no doubt rude words for her interruption of their peace.

With their absence the only evidence of life was herself, and she allowed herself a moment of reflection before finally releasing her emotions. In a way she had known, known the moment she had felt the magic at Lucy Tremaine’s, how its entire purpose was to protect her, that Emma had killed Robin. It was a truth she was reluctant to acknowledge. If she did that would mean she would have to _do_ something, _feel_ something. And feel something she did.

A scream tore its way up her throat like shards of glass and she fell into the sand, ignoring what the wet sand was doing to her slacks and knees. She could feel the rough little rocks beneath her and she dug her hands like claws into the sand. She was furious, as angry as she had ever been at the height of the Evil Queen’s reign, but also, she ached, ached with something she couldn’t name at what Emma had done.

Granules snagged under her nails but she ignored it as her breath ran out and her hair curtained her face, rain rolling down the strands and dripping onto the sand leaving small craters. The rain fell down harder. A strangled noise escaped her lips and rolled across the beach, reaching the waves and fading, drowned by the sea. She idly wondered what anyone would think if they were to stumble across her in this deserted cove; they’d probably paint it. Her on her knees with her head thrown back in an endless howl as the sky and sea roared and clashed, lightening flashing through the sky. Broken, they’d call it. Or maybe Torn.

Her final cry tore her throat and she swallowed several times to try to soothe the ache, licking her lips to catch the rain. Now her initial rage had passed she took a moment to think, ignoring how her knees started to twinge with the strain of holding her weight on the unforgiving terrain. The cold had started to seep into her bones, curling around her heart and hardening it. Was this what the victims of the Ice Queen felt? Numb and empty? So cold that there could be no hope, no chance for a flicker of warmth?

She would be morally and ethically obliged to inform the Charming’s of their daughters actions- that was a conversation she dreaded and she had no doubt it would happen soon- and then act for the protection of the town against one of their former protectors. And… Henry would find out…eventually, and she had to be the first to tell him…unless nobody talked…

At that thought she drew her strength and staggered to her feet. She would have thought Emma above mass murder, but then she had thought her above murder, and she needed to get back to the Merry Men.

Summoning her magic she vanished from the beach with a crack that was swallowed by the sand and sea. She appeared back in the camp beneath Pine Creak Fall’s, it was quiet, far too quiet for the earlier revelation and she flicked her hand skyward to give her some light. Beneath the canopy of the trees the afternoon sun was shrouded by angry clouds and didn’t reach the ground so the ball of bright light was helpful.

As the made her way into the camp she realised why it was so quiet. All the men who had been around her and Emma earlier were prone on the ground, in the exact place she had seen them when she had vanished. Swallowing she peered into the encroaching darkness to see if she could see anything else. Her senses strained but the woods were quiet bar for the faint rumble of the waterfall and she lowered her guard slightly.

Gliding forward she crouched down next to one of the men whom had stood next to Seth and was startled to see that his chest rose and fell. He was alive. Frowning in confusion she flicked her hand around her and within moments got the answer she needed. They were all still alive.

Reassured that Emma hadn’t fallen as far as to commit mass murder she continued her journey into the camp, her main concern now was Roland. The fire was crackling merrily beneath a cover of trees and the tents kept rain off of their possessions and bed rolls. Humming at the warmth she realised that she was soaking wet and her skin was cool and she made a rolling movement with her wrist and within seconds she was dry and warm. She was shivering slightly and her warm clothes felt like they had been hung in front of a fire. She wrapped her arms about her as she peered beneath an open tent flap to see what was inside. It was empty, just bed rolls and a few chests and bags of clothing. She ducked into a few before she finally located the boy she was looking for. Roland was curled up next to Mulan an open picture book between the two and she could have sagged in relief.

A nudge with her magic and she discovered the boy and his guardian had been placed under the same sleeping spell as the Merry Men outside, only they had been moved to where it was warm and dry. Sleep was an easy spell to create as it was something the body did naturally and making entire areas fall to slumber required minimal effort, especially if they would wake up in a few hours. It had started to drizzle now, light and soft rain.

One thing was still niggling in the back of her mind, where was Seth, and where was Emma? Reaching out with her magic she tried to locate the Dark One, pushing her magical awareness as far as she could into the town and woods. It only took her a moment, the Dark and pulsing aura that heralded the Dark One’s presence was to the north of her and she instantly teleported to her side.

“Emma!” She cried out as her shoes were engulfed in water and her arrival cast a wave in the already torrid water as it joined its fellows and fell over the waterfall.

On a beautiful day Pine Creek Waterfall was something out of a novel or painting. Crystal blue waters shifted into pale blue and then into clear flashes and white trains as the water tumbled down rocks and into the pool below. The water at the foot of the waterfall was torrid and white and rampant but as the water rippled away it turned to sapphire and turquoise before clearing as it grew shallow and rocks could be seen along the shore. There was even a small sandy part before the pool tightened and turned into Pine Creek which merrily wound its way into the trees and down towards the sea.

The Dark One stood on a wet rock over the top of the waterfall, boots and pant legs stained with water and for a moment Regina was concerned for her safety. Rocks exposed to so much water would be slippery and she might slip and fall, but she needn’t have worried, the essence of magic was beneath her boots and Regina realised she had stuck herself to the rock.

Seth was dangling over the edge, neck grasped tightly in Emma’s hold. His face was red, eyes bulging and with spittle drooling from his mouth. His hands were grasping at the choke hold on his windpipe and his feet were kicking out desperately.

“Regina,” the Dark One said coldly as she stood over the precipice the embodiment of malice. “How nice of you to come for the show.”

Seth strangled out a sound, something to Regina, and she could see Emma’s fingers tighten in warning before loosening.

“There is nothing you can do or say to save him,” Emma continued, almost like she were discussing the weather, and not the murder she was about to commit. “Besides Seth here was just _so_ torn up over the death of his leader he _had_ to do something to eliminate the pain somehow.”

Regina lifted her hand and Emma shifted in response, able to sense or see what Regina was about to do.

“Ah ah,” she cautioned warningly and tilted her head to the side as though to hear or maybe acknowledge Regina’s presence or lowering of her hand.

“Seth knows why,” Emma offered quietly and her gaze shifted back to the man in her hold. “Felt like he needed to know, just like Lucy Tremaine.”

With that she released her hold and Seth choked out a scream as he fell to his death. Somehow Regina knew that even if in normal circumstances he could have survived the fall, with maybe a few broken bones or something, this time he would die, Emma would have made sure of it.

“Emma!” Regina barked with a snarl to her lips and the Dark One turned slowly, graceful in a way she had lacked pre-curse. It was less the murder she had just committed and more the way she had done it, who had done it. Regina was no stranger to death, one didn’t get to be called the Evil Queen for merely kicking puppies and playing tag with birds and a fireball, after all. But Emma, for all of her faults and insecurities, was inherently good. She sought the best in people and remained resolutely at their side, faithful until the end and the Emma she knew would never kill someone unprovoked. This was the Dark One.

“What’cha gonna do, Regina?” Emma arched a brow and tilted her head sharply. “Hm? Arrest me? Tell Daddy on me? Or maybe-“ she paused and her eyes narrowed on the Mayor, “Tell Henry his mother murdered three people? That he should give up on trying to “save” her from the Darkness?”

Regina swallowed and her jaw worked as her narrowed eyes met Emma’s. Water fell around her legs, pushing her forward and urging her to obey gravity and fall with it. “Emma….. this isn’t you. You would never kill anyone-not like this. I know you. Please come back.”

Something she had said triggered a response, for a moment something flashed across her carefully neutral expression and a hint of her Emma was staring back at her across the water.

“Nobody knows,” Emma said quietly, and somehow she seemed vulnerable now, less ancient evil and more helpless and confused bail-bonds-woman, dragged along by the current and out of her depth. It was nostalgic, a throwback to how things had been after the curse had broken and everyone had looked to Emma for answers she didn’t have, for questions she didn’t understand.

Regina flicked her hand down at the camp and raised her shoulders, not really knowing what to say, and trying to avoid the confession she had heard Emma make, she could scream at the blonde when she had thought everything through.

“They won’t remember anything,” Emma confessed, “and they’ll sleep until dawn.” She offered one of her shoulders in a shrug. “I guess they were more tired than they thought.”

“Emma,” Regina said quietly. “I can’t just ignore you killing a man in front of me.” She was going to ignore Lucy and Robin for the moment, pretend that she hadn’t heard the proud confession of less than an hour before. The entire situation required a great deal of thought and she would put her mind to the task once she was certain Emma wasn’t going to hurt or kill anyone else.

Emma tilted her head, puppy-like in the way she hadn’t been mere minutes earlier. “You are no Saint, Regina. What can they do to me? Lock me up? You have the Dagger, are you gonna make me go to Dad and kneel and offer my head for the chopping block? Keep me from Henry?” There was malice in her tone, but it seemed bitter, and slightly fearful?

Regina’s eyes narrowed further and suddenly Emma was in her space, breath falling across her cheeks and brushing her hair. “Are you going to control me? Make me your little pet, hm? Own me?” Regina tensed but stayed where she was, even leaning forward to meet Emma head on like she always had.

“Are you going to kill anyone else?” She asked, obviously surprising the blonde because she drew back slightly.

Blinking lazily she gave it some thought and then shrugged. “If they get between me and something I want,” she replied eventually.

“And what is it you want?” Regina asked quickly, unable to see how Seth, Robin, and Lucy all connected, or at least not willing to acknowledge the reason out loud. She knew that she didn’t want to ask that question, not really, didn’t want to look at the motives behind Emma’s actions.

Emma’s lip twisted in a partial attempt at a smile but she didn’t answer. “You aren’t going to control me?”

Ah, there it was. The fear. Having been a pawn in someone else’s game for so long Regina understood the need, the ache, for freedom, or at least the illusion of it.

“Not unless I have to,” Regina breathed and her dark eyes moved along Emma’s face mentally comparing the Dark One sparkly skin to what she had had. Emma had gone still and was watching her with wide eyes.

“I won’t kill anyone unless I have to,” she said and then leant in, and if she inhaled the scent of Regina’s apple shampoo she wouldn’t confess it under oath. “They hurt you,” she whispered into her ear and Regina shivered. “I won’t apologise for protecting you, but I am sorry that it hurt you.”

“I can protect myself,” Regina snapped back and drew away, not liking how her statement seemed less self-assured by how her voice was breathy and light.

Emma chuckled and gently brushed the back of her fingers across Regina’s damp cheek. “I know,” she replied simply. “But you don’t have to.” And then she was gone, leaving Regina alone at the top of Pine Creek Falls with the ghost of Emma’s fingertips on her cheek.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

_I know you feel betrayed._

Regina’s eyes narrowed in the dull light and tilted her phone so she could read the text better and when she did she huffed.

_That’s a side effect of betrayal._

She placed her cell back on the rack that lay over the side of the bath and slunk down deeper into the hot water. It chimed with another messaged and she sighed as she picked it up and read the message in the faint candle light.

 _Buffy. Nice_.

 _What do you want, Emma?_ She text back and while holding her phone tightly grabbed the neck of a bottle of wine and brought it to her lips. She couldn’t tell what it tasted like, after the first bottle she had stopped trying to savour the berries and just focused on finding oblivion. Unfortunately the wine in her cellar was catered to exquisite taste and not to the much needed alcohol content. Pity.

_To explain. Please?_

_What is there to explain, Emma?_ She asked, pruned fingers tapping away at the keys. _You killed Robin, Lucy, and Seth in some misguided attempt to protect me._ There was a few moments before her phone chimed an answer.

_Of everyone I thought you would get it._

Regina sighed but responded quickly. _I do get it, Emma. Doesn’t mean I have to like it._

_Are you going to tell?_

_No._ And she wasn’t. Her silence regarding her suspicion that Emma had done it was telling enough and upon reflection (she was currently approaching two hours in the bath) she had decided not to say anything and carry the burden of her silence. It only added to the guilt she carried, what was three more deaths to her name, even if they weren’t on her hands? (The deaths by fire had been an accident, Emma had expressed marginal regret over that, for an ancient sociopath). No one knew that she knew, so they wouldn’t ask her and not telling the truth wasn’t as bad as lying, right? She was mostly concerned with how the town and her family would react if she did speak up, she was also concerned about Emma. She couldn’t betray the trust placed in her with the Dagger and use it to control her, or order her into a prison, even if it did mean she could hurt someone else. Though Emma had said that she would refrain from murder unless attacked.

 _Why_?

She squinted and then frowned, there was a yellow face next to the question, it was rubbing its chin. Huh. She had thought she had cured Emma of her unnecessary addition of emoji’s but obviously not, clearly she only kept to proper gramma for her sake.

 _Quid pro quo, Miss Swan._ She was starting to tire of the conversation, it had been a long day. It wasn’t every day you learned that your best friend was going around killing people that had hurt you or threatened to do so. Regina wanted to know what had triggered the deadly response for these particular people, she had even asked Emma about Snow, Charming and even Henry, as they of all people were guilty of causing her the most pain. Emma said they were hers and would not be hurt because hurting them would hurt Regina, she did immediately change it to ‘ours’ when confronted but said that Robin didn’t count because they weren’t together and he had hurt her deeply.

After Emma had vanished from the waterfall Regina had gone home and tidied herself up, making sure Henry didn’t see her from where he was doing his homework in the kitchen. She had tossed her options in her mind all evening and was certain Henry had noticed but her sweet boy hadn’t said anything.

Then she had continued on with her routine, preparing dinner for the two of them before hesitating and making up a third plate and hiding it in the microwave. She flicked a text to Emma to tell her so, but also that she didn’t want to see her until she was ready to talk but that the guest bedroom was still hers. Emma had respected her wishes and she hadn’t seen, or heard from her until her phone chimed at half eleven that night with a long message from the blonde. She had told her why she had done it, to keep Regina safe and to take revenge on the people who had hurt her. There was even bullet points as to why each person deserved it. Which, while answering some of her questions made her wonder why others hadn’t been targeted yet. Whale, Jefferson, and Gold were at the top of the list of people who had hurt her, but they were, as far as she knew, still breathing.

The list near Robin’s name was quite long (and if she didn’t know any better she would have thought Emma hated the man) and seeing everything he had done and said in truthful black and white was a bitter pill to swallow. It was a shock to see how she had acted with him especially when Emma laid it all out and told her how it had happened (though she suspected there was some bias to it. Emma didn’t seem to like Robin very much, she didn’t know why). It took her a few minutes to process everything and when she did she had run herself a bath and had taken her remaining bottle of wine (she had already opened and finished one over diner and then her time in her study) and settled into the relaxing atmosphere of a bath with candles and bath salts.

Seth and Lucy Tremaine were the easiest deaths to process; she neither knew them nor cared for them. Their deaths were barely a blip on her radar and by far one of the lesser crimes she had been a part of. Robin’s was a little bit more complicated and she had had to think through it for a great while, often glancing back at Emma’s text for reference. The year in the Enchanted Forest was the easiest, she had found the man frustrating and often the cause of her ire; though his son was adorable and would forever have a piece of her heart. Then she had met him in Storybrooke and had seen his tattoo. Initially she was conflicted. Here was this stranger who was meant to be her Soul Mate. But they had worked together and there had been… something….there…maybe.

But he had wanted her, and it was nice to be wanted, and she did feel guilty because if she had gone into that tavern with Tink then maybe they could have been happy. All of the messy business with Marian-Zelena and the baby was brought into context by Emma’s truthful and slightly harsh bullet points and seeing it all written down made her inwardly curse at her pathetic and needy behaviour. The way she had acted was like some love-sick fool, desperate for anyone to love her that she had ignored the problematic behaviour of them both to try to cling to an opportunity for someone to love her. She was glad she had decided to end their burgeoning relationship and just remain friends, seeing it all written out made her relieved that she had made the right decision, even if she hadn’t done so for the reasons that Emma had noticed.

However his death still affected her, not perhaps as much as everyone seemed to think it should, as her Soul Mate (what did _that_ even mean?) but it did still hurt. She would treasure what he had taught her in their brief time together, that she was worthy of being loved, worthy of love, even if it wasn’t with him. She had needed someone to teach her that, hadn’t thought she deserved it since she took her father’s heart and let it crumble between her fingers as though it were sand.

Her phone chimed again and drew her from her thoughts.

_You can call me by my first name, Regina._

_Not when I am angry at you._ Regina tapped out a reply and then rose to her feet, muffling a groan as her body obeyed, it had been a while since she had moved. Water cascaded from her body and steam lifted from her skin as she stepped from the tub. Her feet left water footprints on her fluffy bath mat and as she pulled her towel from the heated towel rack she received a response.

_Is it because I killed Robin? I am sorry about that._

_But would you take it back?_ Regina wasn’t entirely sure why she asked this, not really wanting to open that particular can of worms, but part of her wanted to know.

_No. But I am sorry that it hurt you._

Regina savoured the feeling of her fluffy towel moving over her skin and rolled her neck. She waited until she had moisturised before slipping into her pyjamas and flicking her fingers at the candles and bath. Small tendrils of smoke rose from the wicks and the bath made a choked sound as it began to empty. Another wave of her hand and the towels were on the rungs and all of the switches were off, the wine sent back to the fridge in the cellar.

She padded over to her bed and plugged the phone in, making sure the alarm was set and settled under the covers. Wondering if Emma were in the guest room she replied and shifted on her pillow, eyeing the dull light of her cell.

_That word lost its meaning for me many years ago._

_Still. I am sorry._

_So you said. Are you going to tell Roland? Or Anastasia? Or the families that lost members or had their homes damaged by the fire?_

Emma’s reply took a long moment and Regina slipped into slumber before she say the response. _Like you said. Sorry means nothing._

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

_I hear that custard squares are your secret craving. Have a lovely day. (No, it’s not poisoned. Ask Granny)._

_I’ve been looking for you._

_I hear you had a bad day? :D_

_You look beautiful today (you look beautiful every day, but especially today). Blue suits you._

_To the 8 th wonder in the world. When you are ready take a drive out to the Stables._

 

Regina looked at the latest note for the week and her brow furrowed. She would never admit to being charmed by the first half but couldn’t help the flutter in her chest at the message but the slight warmth faded as she read the second half. The stables remained a sore spot for her still. Having your mother kill your secret boyfriend there in front of you, and then having to kill him thirty odd years later definitely negated the happy memories the place had for her. But she had to admit, the message was curious as to what her secret admirer had for her out at the stables, as the last time she was asked to go somewhere she had been directed to a patch of land where a garden had been made in her name. There were rows upon rows of flowers, all expertly planted, sometimes in patterns, and with an array of beautiful colours, or at least they would be, come spring. There were pictures picketed before each area of the garden with the types of flowers that would be there, as well as what the garden would look like full bloom. There was a gazebo in the centre and a series of benches and seats in the area so that visitors could have a picnic or something. A letter had sat at the gazebo with ‘Regina’ on it and she had opened it to see what her admirer had to say.

_To Regina with love: Flowers are momentary. A garden is eternal._

Snow White had swooned when Henry had told her-Regina wanted to avoid speaking with Snow of her admirer at all costs- and had nearly squealed with excitement of someone liking her. If Snow ever found out who it was she’d no doubt either fangirl like crazy or give them a strange rendition of ‘the talk’ and then start planning the wedding. Joy. Regina had gone to great lengths to hide her admirer from the rest of her family, though she had to tell Henry as he saw the gifts, food and roses. He was bemused but went with it, happy that someone cared for his Mum and that one of them might be happy while the other was MIA.

It could be something good, likely was something meant to make her happy, but she wasn’t sure how much she could like anything out at the stables. Maybe her admirer paid for its paintjob or new railings, or maybe even a horse-truck or a horse for her.

Emma would find it amusing, no doubt. Sitting back in her desk she moved the note to the side so that she could continue her work. It was a week since Seth had fallen from the top of the waterfall to his death (which was the official story and Regina had remained silent on the subject) and she had rethought her decision to remain silent the weekend after his murder. She had locked herself in her study on the Saturday and had sat in silence for a few hours with her thoughts in turmoil before she had cracked and had written a pro’s and con’s list. Odd for a pro’s and con’s list to be the decision behind admitting to knowing that the deaths were murder and to knowing the murderer, but she was the reformed Evil Queen, there was still a little darkness in her.

Her pro’s list was the easiest to make but only had a half dozen points; her being Mayor obliged to protect and find justice for her citizens, her wanting to set a good example for Henry, it was the legal and ‘right’ thing to do, were included in the list. Her con’s list was a little more complicated and ended up being the source of her resolve. Damn her emotions for getting in the way. If she didn’t care so much for her family then it would have been so easy to go to David and say that Emma-that the Dark One- had killed Robin, Seth, and Lucy, and had lit the fire. But then as Mayor and Magical Advisor/Protector if the town she would be obliged to put her considerable resources to the task of trapping and containing Emma, or somehow controlling her to ensure she never did anything like that again. Then there would be a trial and a sentencing, though she wasn’t sure how they would secure the Dark One, or even how the town would feel about sentencing their beloved saviour.

Of course, then Henry would find out, and he, Snow, and David would be distraught over the news and then Emma would feel betrayed, and she would have to use the Dagger to control her, and then she would go back to prison or something and, well, it all left a bad taste in Regina’s mouth, so silent she remained. Even if the law enforcement was under the impression someone was trying to frame her.

Emma hadn’t asked her yet, why she had said nothing, and Regina had chosen to avoid brining the subject up, but cautioned Emma that she could take care of herself and that she didn’t want anyone else to die because of her. She thinks Emma got the message because no one had died since, and people in the streets had thanked her for fixing their houses and restoring the forest back to its original growth. When confronted Emma had merely smiled and shrugged and then said Storybrooke was lucky to have a Mayor so giving to her people. That was on Tuesday, five days after Seth’s murder and Emma’s confession. Wednesday night Emma was invited back to the mansion, not just to hide in her room and talk to Regina through texts- honestly, she wasn’t a child and didn’t need silly pictures to communicate- but to join her in cooking dinner and to ring her at night.

Thursday night Emma had come for dinner-officially. Henry was ecstatic to see his other mother as after she had confessed to Robin’s murder and faced Regina’s ire she had gone underground and hadn’t contacted anyone, not even her son. She told him she had had a bad day and didn’t think it wise to talk to anyone, it was something she needed to get through on her own. They had spaghetti bolognaise that night, and Emma had moaned in delight and gotten tomato sauce all around her lips and up her cheek-how, Regina did not know- but she had been pleased to see her cooking go down so well.

They weren’t even any left overs for Henry to take to school today, but that was okay. Emma had cheekily given him a twenty and told him to make sure the packaging of the food he brought had colour on it, maybe something green. Of course, Regina was certain that whatever he did buy himself for lunch would be highly processed and full of sugar, fat, and salt, so she had planned a very healthy meal for tonight. The pork was defrosting on the counter top and she had enough vegetables to last the night before she went to the Saturday market in the morning.

Last they had spoken of it Emma had hinted at her interest in accompanying Regina, in her own I-want-to-come-but-don’t-want-to-ask-in-case-you-reject-me way, so perhaps Regina would invite her to come with the condition that she could eat the waffles or maybe pancakes after they had gotten their fruit and vegetables. She wasn’t sure how long that would last though.

As though her thoughts had summoned her the blonde materialised in her office and took a moment to get her bearings before grinning at seeing the note on her desk. Her admirer always used the same expensive card and it stood out against the formal paperwork on her desk.

“Oooh!” She cooed as she sauntered over to the table, examining the gift that came with it, a photo frame. “What’d you get now?” She picked it up as Regina resumed her typing and turned it over. ”What, no photo?” Then she shrugged and picked up the note. Regina paused and allowed her a moment to read it.

The blonde’s lips formed the words as she read and then she smiled. “8th wonder, huh? Cute,” she winked playfully. “You know, the guy who owns the photography store used to be an ogre, far as I know.”

Regina rolled her eyes at the blonde’s sass. “Swamp troll,” she correctly dryly. “The lesser of two evils certainly, but not the most hygienic.”

Emma winced. “Ouch. Guess I’ll be getting you shares in Unilever. Him and Her body-wash, deodorant, and scents.” The blonde was grinning at her own humour and Regina sighed and rolled her eyes before going back to her email. It was her last one before she could leave for the day. She had done a lot of her work in the early part of the week, mostly to keep her mind off of Emma, and so was able to leave early this afternoon.

“Are you?” Emma asked as she flopped onto one of Regina’s guest chairs and moved to place her boots on the desk. She faltered at Regina’s look and then set them on the ground with a grin.

“Am I what?”

“Going to the stables?”

Regina hesitated and looked back at the note, sitting where Emma had tossed it onto her desk.

“I…don’t know,” she said eventually, staring at the note pensively. “I don’t know what to expect. I don’t like going to the stables.”

“Maybe its another garden or something,” Emma suggested and then hesitated. “I-I could come with you? If you wanted,” she added quickly. “Company.”

Regina blinked and looked at her intently for the first time since she had seen her. The Dark One seemed almost….nervous? Anxious, certainly. There was an undercurrent of energy beneath the relaxed façade, like water under a glacier. She was wearing blue jeans and a grey and blue plaid shirt with a brown jacket and boots. She looked like herself with her beanie on her head and hair down around her shoulders, even as her skin looked like frosting and her hair a bleached mop.

“I’d like that,” Regina said eventually after giving it some thought. Truthfully she did want to see what was at the stables, the interest was coiling in her belly, but she didn’t want to go by herself and she would welcome Emma’s support

“Okay!” Emma’s excitement startled her a little and the blonde slunk back into her seat slightly sheepish. “Finish up what you’re doing and we’ll go for a drive!”

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The afternoon sun lazily worked its way across the sky when the blue car rolled across the gravel and parked near the fence. In the arena the duo working a horse in circles looked curiously at the car before the man broke away from the girl and began to walk towards the fence. The mayor’s Mercedes was a well-known car, even if the Mayor herself wasn’t getting out of the driver’s seat. She was accompanied by a tall, slender woman with jeans and a beanie who looked around curiously and then turned back to the mayor to speak. The two women walked from the car and made their way to meet the man walking towards them. He was wearing jeans and a red plaid shirt rolled up to his elbows and he smiled happily at the two as he approached.

He was a dark skinned man, getting on in his years but full of spirit if the sparkle in his eyes were anything to judge and he clambered over the fence with the ease of a much younger man.

“Sheriff. Madame Mayor,” he nodded as he got closer, casting a curious customary glance to the absentee Saviour before turning to smile genuinely at Regina.

“Been waiting to see ya,” he said quietly. “C’mon,” he jerked his head to the side and began to walk towards the stable, expecting the two women to follow.

They glanced at each other and shrugged, feet sinking into the gravel as they crunched after the man.

“Preston,” Regina’s heels weren’t really for moving across the gravel but she kept pace with his boots and Emma’s very well for her difficulty. “How’ve you been?”

The big man shrugged. “Eh, can’t complain. Work’s steady and the beasts are healthy.” He shrugged again as he lead the two into the stable, growling at one of the boys inside to position his saddle blanket properly. The stable had a cool breeze moving through the open doors and horses shuffled and stamped and swatted at flies. The clack of hooves and the voices of talking riders mixed with the scents of hay, leather, horse and the faint scent of dung.

“Office’s this way,” he grunted, moving among the horses and riders with the ease of a man who’d spent a life time doing it.

“Haven’t seen ya out here in a while,” he commented as Regina and Emma followed him inside with Regina barely hesitating and peering at one of the stalls. His office was small and cluttered with spare bits of tack on the desk and chairs and with piles of papers across the desk. There were a few paintings and lots of pictures stuck on the wall, past students and horses as well as a few medals and ribbons.

The mayor merely met his gaze as he moved around to his chair and sat with a sigh, the chair squeaking under his weight. He grunted in acknowledgement of her non answer. “Glad to see ya anyhow.”

He rummaged in his desk and pulled out a familiar piece of stationary as well as a small wrapped present in silver paper with a silver ribbon. “These’re for you. And when you’re ready, head out back.” The mayor accepted the gift and note pensively and tried to figure out what it was by the size and plain packaging.

A figure appeared at the door, breathing lightly for all he appeared in a hurry. “Preston. Karl was thrown again.”

The stable master groaned and rolled the chair back and stood. “Be right there.” He strode around the desk and paused near Regina.

“I’d be good to see you here more often, Little Lady,” he said softly and nodded respectfully to them both before vanishing down into the stable.

Regina watched him go with a conflicted look on her face.

“Little Lady?” Emma asked with a raised brow. For all the words could have been taken as sleazy or leering, Preston had said them with affection and no small amount of respect.

“Preston was the groom who left my grandfather’s lands to come with us in our exile,” she said eventually, quietly. “He became stable master in our country estate.” She smiled fondly now, looking down at the present. “He taught me how to ride and raised and trained our horses. He treated Dan-.” She cut off abruptly and while Emma looked curious she was willing to wait to let Regina speak.

“Let’s see what this is about and then go home,” she said stiffly, stalking from the stables and pointedly not looking back at the stall she had paused in front of. They had to walk around the stable and when they did they saw what lay behind it, unseen from the park as it lay in a slight dip in the land and was hidden behind the large building. It was a covered arena with sand on the bottom and thick wooden railings all the way around. In the far corner there were a series of jumps set up and to this side of it there were letters tacked to the fence. They weren’t following the pattern of the alphabet which was slightly confusing, but Regina seemed to know what they meant if she slight smile and shake of her head were to go by. There was a statue of a man and a horse in front of the arena where there was a post and a sign detailing the arena rules and Regina let out a smothered sound at the sight, almost dropping her gift.

‘The Daniel Colter Memorial Arena’ read the sign post, as did the lettering above the entrance gate, a horse shoe on each side.

Regina made another small sound but walked quicker to the statue and halting before it with tears in her eyes. The horse behind the man was light and sleek, built clearly for speed and held its neck and tail proudly, clearly needing no lead to follow its master. The man, Daniel, was smiling gently, completely at peace as he gazed past them and into the distance. He was wearing the clothing of old, the horseman garb of the Enchanted Forest and his hands had come up to hold the horses head as it leant contentedly over his shoulder. His clothing fell naturally off of him, shot hair tousled by the wind and the tail and mane of the horse matched its movement.

He looked kind. Gentle. There was a quiet joy to him, even as he was immortalised in bronze. He looked as though he would come to life at any moment.

Regina had dropped her gift and note and had clasped her hands to her mouth, a broken ‘Daniel’ leaving her lips as ears dripped silently down her face. Emma hesitated before moving to pick the gift and note from the ground, feeling Regina needed a moment of quiet. She stood quietly next to Regina as she cried, prepared to be there, to comfort with her presence.

Eventually Regina got herself under control though her eyes were still bright and her hands were shaking slightly.

“Do you,” Emma cleared her throat gently. “Do you want me to read the note?” She offered quietly, standing near Regina in case she needed her but not wanting to smother her.

“Please,” Regina sniffed, voice hoarse from her quiet crying.

 _Dear Regina,_ read the note.

_Our first loves always hold a place within our heart and memories, it is only fair that yours gets the respect and honour that he deserves._

Regina choked off a sob between her fingers and Emma continued.

_I have no doubt he was a great man. To have your love he must have been for you love with all that you are, and you give your heart in its entirety. For that alone he would be deserving of this, but for loving you I have immortalised him in bronze and in space. The horses and horse folk of Storybrooke will now always know the space he holds in your heart. May your heart think of him fondly, even though the pain, and may your eyes look upon him always. Your love is immortal, as is he._

_Ever yours_

Emma was quiet for a moment after reading the note and shifted on her feet awkwardly as Regina stared in wonder at the statue and arena beyond.

“How?” They hadn’t heard the steady clomping of a horse arriving and were startled to see Preston standing there with a tall and slender horse the colour of the sand on its coat and tips of the waves for its mane and tail. She was a pretty horse, dainty and light on her feet and her tack shone in the sunlight.

“About a month ago I met a stranger in the stables,” he said as he came to a halt and the horse obediently halted behind him, eyes curious and bright. “Said he wanted to do something for ya, something big and meaningful.”

He rolled his shoulders in discomfort as both women watched and listened intently. “I wasn’t really sure, but he insisted so I said what we could use around here.” He shrugged a little, working the lead rope between callused hands. “Few days later he comes back and asks me which one I want,” he tilted his head at the arena, “and where I wanted it.”

He scratched his head now and the horse nuzzled his shirt and began to lip at the collar playfully. “It was done at night,” he offered at length. “Few nights at a time. Pegs, earth, sand, railing, roof. Statue. I thought it was a joke until I saw the pegs removed and the earth flattened out. Then I got curious, stuck around after dark. Nothing,” he shook his head and looked past the duo to the arena. “Nothing the next night, or the next. I gave up. Next morning half the fence had been done,” he grinned now, showing dimples. “Told the lads to stop staying up and get some sleep. Whoever he was he wasn’t gonna work while we were watching.”

He pointed to the roof and the two sorcerers turned to follow his gaze. “Local team from-uhm-Jimmy. Jimmy’s Construction. Put up the roof. Said he was paid for the work and didn’t ask questions. As for the statue,” he fell silent looking at the statue of Daniel and a horse. “Showed up one night.”

“So what you’re telling me, Preston,” Regina began after processing all that she had been told, “is that a man partially built and paid for a brand new covered arena and statue, did it in _my_ name, did it at night and you didn’t think to tell me or ask him who he was?”

“Nah, he only did the fencing and earth moving at night,” Preston said, showing little fear in the face of Regina’s growing ire. “Builders did the rest during the day,” he reached up to idly pat the neck of the horse net to him as it moved off, nose to the ground, in search of some grass. “We think he drove a digger through the gate and down. It’s not locked.” That he hadn’t answered Regina’s second part of the question didn’t escape either woman’s notice, but they let it go.

He offered the mayor the lead rope and she faltered. “Hasn’t been used yet. He asked if I give the honour to you and Yamashari here.” Regina melted and she mouthed the horse’s name.

“You named her after…”

Preston nodded and lifted the rope again, trying to get Regina to take it. “Couldn’t think of a better name for this lovely girl.” The horse snorted as though she knew she was being spoken of.

“Either way, bring her up to the stable when you’re done.” He nodded respectfully and turned and began to walk the dirt track towards the stable.

“Yamashari?” Emma asked curiously as the horse sniffed at her and then shifted her head back, lazily enjoying the sunshine.

“One of the horse gods- North Wind- in Preston’s ancestors tongue, Bedareek. She is said to be the swiftest of all Wind’s. A gentle and sweet creature. Dan-Daniel had a mare called Yamashari.”

They were quiet for a moment, Regina lost in her thoughts and Emma watching Regina.

“Soooo,” she said eventually, shifting on her feet and Regina looked up at her. “Are you going to go for a ride?”

Regina’s brow furrowed and she turned around to face the arena and to look upon the statue. The mare lazily opened an eye before closing it again, ear’s back and head lowered.

“I don’t know,” Regina hedged and one of her hands moved down over her stomach. “Some strange man wants me to, maybe it’s a trap or something?”

“Or maybe its just a gift?” Emma pointed out. “You said yourself that he doesn’t seem to want to hurt you.”

“Maybe,” Regina offered, brow creasing further.

“So, are you?”

“I haven’t ridden in decades, Emma,” she said finally. “I…don’t know if I want to do that for someone else.”

Emma shrugged. “Do it for you. Do it for Daniel,” she suggested. “You don’t have anything to lose.”

Regina turned to her and Emma moved to stand next to her, looking at the statue.

“Wanna open your gift now or later?” Emma asked seeing the conflict in dark eyes, and she lifted the parcel up. It was smaller than an A4 sheet of paper by a few inches on either side but was bigger than your average paper-back.

Draping the lead rope over her shoulder-not that the mare seemed interested in straying- Regina accept the offered gift and began to unwrap it. When she did she couldn’t hide her gasp and tears welled in her eyes again.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Emma pressed closer, voice low and urgent.

“No, I’m fine,” Regina’s voice was tight with emotion. “It’s just….this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.” She ran her finger gently down the front of the gift and then brought it to her chest, cradling it like a child would a beloved toy. Emma shifted back to give her some space, but not much.

After a few minutes Regina drew her composure and straightened. “I’m not sure if I can take another surprise,” she confessed, staring at her hands. She cleared her throat and then hesitantly offered the gift to Emma, as though afraid she would snatch it or reject it.

Emma slowly took the gift and turned it to face her. It was a drawing. A portrait of a man with smiling eyes and dimpled cheeks. She didn’t need Regina to tell her who it was.

“This is Daniel,” she said quietly, swallowing and looking back down to the portrait with wonder.

“Well, now you know what the frame is for,” Emma said and then offered the drawing back to Regina. “He looks nice,” she said, sort of at a loss for what to say.

Regina’s lips pressed together and her cheeks lifted but her smile was soft, gentle and full of love when she lifted it to Emma.

Emma jerked slightly but remained in place, caught in Regina’s gaze. She shuffled slightly, “So, want to go for a ride?” she asked, least she say something Regina wasn’t ready to hear.

Regina looked at the arena and then down at the portrait. “Only if you come with me,” she countered and then grinned at the shell-shocked blonde.

“Uhm, no,” Emma said flatly and took a step backward. “No thanks.”

“I’ll do it if you do it, Emma,” Regina was smiling now, eyes light with excitement and Emma shook her head enthusiastically even as she knew she would follow her anywhere.

“Nope,” she said again and took another step backwards. “Besides, there’s only one horse.” She knew she had made a mistake when Regina eyed the mare and then smirked triumphantly back at Emma.

“She’ll be able to hold us both, unless those bear-claws have stayed with you?”

Emma’s mouth fell open. “Rude,” she growled and then lifted her shirt to make sure that they hadn’t. Her abdominal muscles hinted to the strength of her core as she breathed and she lowered her shirt satisfied, missing Regina’s gaze on her abs. Yup, she was good. “I’m good,” she patted her belly happily.

“Excellent, so it won’t be a problem?” Regina asked innocently, though there was something else, something darker and full of promise, in her tone.

Emma’s previous pleased expression fell and she eyed the horse apprehensively.

“Please?” Regina asked, though it was more teasing that anything. “For me?” Emma closed her eyes briefly. Like she wouldn’t do anything for this woman.

“Fine,” she whined and felt her heart do something funny when Regina beamed back at her. The former Queen was in action mode, she flicked her hand and the gift and notes vanished and then waved her hand over the space in front of her, down her body. Her office clothing changed and she was in tan jodhpurs, black knee-high boots, and had a grey shirt tucked into her pants with a black jacket over top. Then she tied her hair. Emma stared. She looked good, really good.

“Do I have to wear that to?” Emma asked to cover her momentarily lapse. Thankfully Regina had moved to Yamashari and was running through her pre-mounting checks and didn’t see her swallow harshly and her eyes linger in places a friend’s eyes ought not to linger.

Regina snapped her fingers as she ducked under a flap in the saddle and Emma felt her magic settle over her and coat her in purple. When it faded her wardrobe had hardly changed. She was still wearing her jeans, shirt, and jacket, but her boots were made of sturdier leather and were much shinier that the ones she had had on.

She shrugged as she walked after Regina, more concerned with how tight the mayor’s pants were and how it highlighted her figure than her own attire.

Thankfully there was a mounting post near the entrance and Regina led the mare there after opening the gate. Then she turned to face Emma. Emma who was dragging her feet with her shoulders slumped as she trudged across the dirt to the post, making sure to keep far away from both ends of the horse.

“You’re not going to your execution, Emma,” Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes, but it lacked bite as she was smiling so sweetly, eyes bright and warm.

“Sure I’m not,” Emma murmured, and inched closer.

“Have you ever been on a horse?” Regina asked as she rubbed the mares face. Emma shook her head.

“I did go on a pink one at a merry go round once. Won the race too,” she said, proud of the fact but Regina just giggled and Emma shot her a shy smile from under her lashes.

“Wait a second,” she started to undo some straps and then pulled the saddle off, placing it on the ground with the seat in the air. “There,” she said standing back and smiling over at the dejected Emma. “That’ll be easier on us all.”

She moved around to the horses other side. “Come on. Up you go,” she instructed and Emma edged around the horse’s rear before moving to the side of the mounting block.

“Wait, what?!” Emma asked startled. “You’re coming to, right?!” She didn’t bother trying to conceal her panic. The horse was huge! Waaaay taller than her and it could kick her and bite her. Heck, it probably weighed the same as her car. It could definitely kill her and she said so.

Regina bit her lip to hide her smile and swung herself easily onto the horses back. The mare kept her feet firmly on the ground and Emma inched forward just a little bit more. “She could kill you, yes. In the Enchanted Forest we trained our horses for battle.” She leant forward and stroked the horse’s neck. “But this girl is a sweetie, she won’t try to kick your head in,” she added with an impish smile,

“You’re enjoying this,” Emma grumbled but she still inched closer.

“Maybe a little.”

Emma was near the mounting block now and slowly stepped up it, more like she was about to climb to her noose than on a horse. Same thing really.

Yamashari shook her tail and Emma jumped and then glared at the horse.

“Come on, Emma. It’ll be fine.” Regina was surprisingly patient with her, reaching out a hand ready to help her and Emma took that final step to stand on the top of the mounting block.

“You’ll need to move to the edge so you can swing your leg over her back,” she instructed and then shifted slightly on the saddle blanket. “Come on.”

Drawing forth her courage Emma edged to the side of the mounting block and lifted her leg. Then she lowered it and met Regina’s confused gaze. “What if I fall off?”

“You won’t,” Regina said immediately. “I’ll take care of you. You can hold on to me.”

Emma sagged slightly in relief, well okay then. She could hold on to Regina and drag her off to cushion her fall when she fell. It was a good, solid plan.

Reassured she placed her hand on Regina’s shoulder and used her for balance as she lifted her leg and guided it over the mares back and over the side. Then she paused.

“Uhm, Regina?”

“You have to let go,” she said quietly. “Push off with your left leg and trust me.”

That Emma could do. Taking a deep breath she obeyed and pushed away from the mounting block and settled her weight on the mare. Her back was wider than she had initially thought and she shifted slightly to get comfortable, clinging to Regina with her face hidden in the mayor’s jacket.

“When you’re ready, open your eyes,” Regina said and one of her hands patted the arm wrapped tightly around her middle. It took Emma a while of the three of them standing still before she slowly opened one eye and then the other. Woah! She gave a slight squeak and shifted closer to Regina, silky brown hair tickling her face. She was much higher than she thought she’d be.

It took another few minutes of waiting there until she was ready to lean back a little and open her eyes fully as Yamashari got bored of waiting and shifted her weight, sending Emma scurrying back to the safety at Regina’s back. The mayor’s fingers were running along the backs of her palm lightly and Emma eventually felt safe enough to straighten a little and look around her.

“You okay?” Regina asked gently and Emma nodded, a breathy and shaken ‘yeah’ her reply.

“We’re going to start walking now,” she said and Emma pressed closer but mumbled her agreement.

Regina clucked to the mare and obediently she moved forward, eyes intent and eyes pricked on the arena.

Emma made another sound and hid back behind Regina and the mayor chuckled as they entered the arena and she turned the horse alongside the gate.

“Argh,” Emma gasped as Regina lent forward to grab the gate and urged their mount closer so that she could latch it closed.

“Don’t do that,” she groaned when Regina straightened and she could feel her laughter.

“I’ll warn you next time,” she promised.

“We’re just going to do laps for now,” she said as they moved around the outside of the ring and it took only two and a half for Emma to grow confident enough to loosen her hold and look about her.

“This isn’t so bad,” she said and Regina shifted in the saddle to smile at her. Now that the terror was over, Emma realised that while the horse’s movement wasn’t too bad, the way it rocked her back and forth against the woman in front of her wasn’t very practical. Her thoughts were sinful but she compartmentalised and relaxed into Regina’s warmth and the soothing rocking motion of the horse. Her arms loosened their tight hold and her entire body leant forward into the woman in front of her with a content sigh.

“Horse riding is one of the closest ways disabled can get to walking,” Regina offered quietly and Emma hummed into her neck, turning her head slightly to let her lips brush against the soft skin there. Regina’s breath hitched but she didn’t say anything so Emma stayed there, even more content when Regina laced one of their hands together.

“What are the letters for?” Emma asked after they had lapped the arena for the tenth time.

“The discipline of dressage,” Regina responded quickly. “Think of it like precision dancing, only it is man and horse. The letters are cues for movement changes.” The brunette then went on to explain how dressage worked and how it was judged. Emma wasn’t really paying attention to grading systems and paces and leg changes, mostly she was letting Regina’s passionate voice drift over her and breathing in her scent as she felt her heart beat pulsing against her lips.

“Emma?” She asked quietly a few minutes later.

“Mh?” Emma nuzzled the soft hairs at the base of Regina’s neck, grinning lazily at the shivers it evoked.

“Do you mind if we go faster?”

Emma’s arms tightened on reflex and she weighed her options.

“We don’t have to,” Regina said quickly and Emma shook her head.

“If you want to,” she said and shifted closer, just in case.

She knew she had said the right thing when Regina squeezed her fingers in thanks and her voice was light and filled with excitement.

“Okay. Just hold on to me, okay? Move with me and Yam. I’ll keep you safe.”

With great reluctance Emma let Regina pull her hand away and wrapped her arm around Regina.

Regina shifted her weight slightly and the mare’s head shot up, her feet lifting higher in anticipation. Clicking to the mare and nudging her with her heel she asked for a faster pace. The mare obeyed immediately, moving to a bouncing gait that set their bodies lifting up and down on the mare’s bony back. Emma was pretty sure she whined.

Regina clucked again and the mare lengthened her stride, falling into a longer gait which rocked the two back and forth. It was a much smoother ride and Emma relaxed her hold a smidge. Regina seemed to have settled back into horseback easily, though Emma wasn’t really much of a judge.

Their bodies were pulling away and then jamming back together with each stride and it was torture; Emma was torn between pushing Regina away so she could control her excited body, or pull her impossibly closer and keep her there. After a few laps she grew more comfortable and pulled her head out from behind Regina’s back.

“Okay,” she admitted tightly, “this is kinda cool.”

“Want to try something else?” Regina’s voice was rich and inviting with a hint of danger and Emma’s only answer was affirmative.

“Okay! Hold on!”

She guided them around and pointed them straight at one of the jumps. Emma’s eyes went wide.

“Regina,” she said and squeezed the brunette in warning. “Regina!” The brunette turned her head a little and Emma could see the gleam of delight in her eyes, the joy being on horse-back was bringing. “Trust me, Emma,” she said and guided them in a tight circle, ignoring the jump until she had Emma’s permission.

“I do,” Emma said firmly. “I trust you.” Regina’s answering smile could have rivalled the sunrise with its brightness.

“Hold on,” she repeated. “Don’t fight the movement, move with us.” She turned the mare again and her hoof-steps changed, ears pricking up as they approached the jump. It was only a little one, as far as jumps go, a cross from the first rung of each metal side crossing over each other as they rested at an angle in the sand.

Emma turned back into Regina and hung on, hearing as they got closer and the hoof fall changed and then they were up in the air, the mare’s powerful body coiling and then springing up and over the small obstacle. Emma might have screamed. Regina never said anything, and no one was around to bear witness, but she may have. Regina just laughed, a full body shaking, heart wrenching laugh that set Emma’s heart a flutter.

They landed harshly, or what felt harshly, Emma didn’t really know, and Emma ended up with her front pressed tightly against Regina’s back as she was forced forward onto Yam’s neck. The front of her thighs were burning and her hips were starting to feel the strain-damn it! She was far too young to have a body that ached with exercise!

Regina burst into laughter and Emma felt it vibrate out, a full belly laugh, not some dainty weak laugh, but one that caused her entire torso to quake with it. “Don’t worry, Miss Swan. You won’t be the only one with sore muscles tomorrow. Riding uses them differently.” Oh, she had said that out loud. Opps, but at least she got a laugh from Regina.

After the jump Regina slowed them and walked the mare for a time too warm her down.

Emma’s thighs were straining as they exited the arena and Regina slid easily from Yamashari’s back, landing easily to close and lock the gate. She was pretty sure she couldn’t move her butt even if she wanted to. Emma sat alone on the horse and looked around her, slightly on edge but feeling a sense of comradery to the horse after riding it for so long.

Regina looked up at her, lips pulled into a smile and eyes glowing. “Are you gonna get down?”

Emma was pretty sure she was pouting. “I can’t. I’m stuck.” She might have been, too. Her thighs didn’t seem to want to respond to her commands, and she’d lost feeling in her ass ages ago.

Regina almost doubled over she was laughing so loud and Emma frowned at her in mock anger, unable to be unhappy with anything that made the woman she loved laugh so.

“Lean forward and just swing your leg around,” she said as she stepped closer and Emma obeyed, getting a mouthful of horse hair and grunted as she lifted her right leg and swung it across Yam’s back. She wished she could say she was half as graceful as Regina but she wasn’t. She wasn’t even a quarter as graceful as Regina. She fell from Yam and stumbled, falling straight into Regina.

Regina’s hands went around her to catch her and she anchored herself by holding the brunette’s hips. They stood there; bodies pressed intimately together, hands on each other and breathing together as their hearts raced.

“Hi,” Emma whispered and was rewarded with Regina’s lips twitching.

“Hey,” she rasped in response and the sound sent waves of heat through her body, curling around her heart until it was hot and then sending the warmth lower to where something delicious was uncurling.

Regina’s dark, dark eyes slowly roamed her face, shifting between her eyes in search of…something. Emma moistened her lips, her mouth suddenly dry and her heart hammering in her chest, trying to beat its way from her skin and reach the woman it belonged to.

Drawn forward Emma slowly lowered her head, keeping her eyes on Regina’s, waiting for a flash of disapproval or rejection and only finding them shifting slowly to black, desire rampant in her irises.

“Thank you,” her breath fell upon Emma’s lips and they tingled a reminder of what was just out of reach. Pulling back to herself Emma smiled and leant back until the space they were sharing was more appropriate, though their chests brushed with every inhale, and their flesh was warm beneath their fingers.

Emma smiled sweetly and reluctantly let Regina go as she pulled away, instantly missing her warmth.

Regina looked at her with blown pupils and a furrowed brow that quickly smoothened and took the reins. Yamashari followed obediently as the two began to walk up to the stables. Emma’s muscles screaming bloody murder and vowing revenge for what she had put them through. In response she grabbed the saddle and slung it over her arms before realising that it was actually quite heavy and carrying it against her belly where she could use it as support was a good idea.

Regina saw to the mare while Emma watched (safely out of reach of hoof and teeth) and followed instructions. She mostly returned tack to their proper positions-the head piece was a pain and she didn’t think it was hung up correctly, if the giggles of a few riders were to go by, but eh- and leant against an empty stall and watched.

She didn’t think Regina had stopped smiling in that gentle, breathless way that said she was so happy and Emma’s chest wasn’t big enough to hold her heart, or maybe her heart was too big for her chest. As they left the stables, day turning into night, Regina said something that made her heart stop, and then jump into her throat. “I think I’d give him a chance, if he told me his name.” Her heart beat pounded out a rhythm that night and for many nights after. I’d give him a chance. I’d give him a chance. _I’d give him a chance_.

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you for the reviews and kudos. I hope you enjoyed. I particularly enjoyed writing the end of the chapter. In other news, I've broken he 100k mark! Yay! I think the 12ish chapters is an achievable goal. As for Regina's decision to remain quiet, if you'd like to discuss it further message me, but I think (logically) her decision was the right one- she "dated" Robin for all of five minutes. OQ deserved better. Robin deserved better (actor aside) and Regina certainly did.


	9. Part Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo steps up and Emma realises how screwed she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: reference of homophobia. I struggle with Regina's POV for some reason, but hope this and especially the next chapter give an insight as to how she is feeling about everything. Thank you for the Kudos and reviews. As always, enjoy.

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Grinning Emma sealed her final letter for the week and tucked it onto a wrapped box with a red ribbon on the top. Initially she was going to write to Regina every single day, but had learnt from insider knowledge that Regina was less willing to accept her admirer’s attempts when she was at home with Henry (and Emma) and so had decided that she would leave Regina’s leisure time to her and Henry and court her through the week. It was going well if she didn’t say so herself.

She had known that Regina loved horses. Anyone who claimed to know the Mayor knew that, but seeing how Regina was with them had made her smile for days and the Darkness had been silent the entire time. She hadn’t really known what to expect all those weeks ago when she had gone out to the stables, having heard from David how Regina had to kill Daniel there while she was away, and knowing that Cora had killed him there-or in the Enchanted Forest version. But she had been pleasantly surprised by Preston-he had seemed suspicious of her, or of the person she had disguised herself as, but was more than willing to help her do something for Regina. In the end he had told her that she had loved the stables and horses and riding, but it was bitter-sweet as she had lost Daniel in them twice and hadn’t ridden since the first curse- a little magical persuasion may have been involved to get him to share.

She had asked about Daniel, wanting to know more about the man who had been the reason for the Evil Queen, whose love had driven the sweet girl down a Dark path and he had told her all about Daniel. Daniel; who always had a comforting and gentle hand for man and beast alike. Daniel; whose eyes would light when he saw or spoke of Lady Regina. A boy who’s cheeks had flushed when Preston had confronted him about how he felt about the young princess. A young man who had asked his stand-in-father-Preston to lend him money so they could run away. A young man who’s eyes glowed as he told the stable master he intended to spend the rest of his life with the girl who held his heart.

Much of it was difficult to hear, especially to the Darkness which roared and raged about someone else ever having Regina, but other parts made her heart ache like an old scar in winter. She had almost transcended time and reality when Preston had told her that Regina had spent all night in the rain desperately trying to kiss Daniel’s corpse back to life, offering him her warmth and life even as he couldn’t offer it in return. Lady Cora, Preston told her, had to drag the screaming and crying Princess from the stables herself, using her magic to drag her across the soaking wet ground and into the house. Had Cora been alive at that moment, Emma would have committed her first murder as Dark one, and gladly. They burred Daniel alone, just the three of them; Prince Henry, Princess Regina, and himself (the other servants were too afraid of Cora to join them) and then Cora had summoned the royals back to the house for the King’s arrival.

Most importantly he had told her that only two people knew Daniel; himself and Regina. Others only knew of him as the boy who she gave her heart to and had it dragged into death with him, and others thought he was just another of the Queen’s conquests. The man himself was dead, and almost in memory as well because it had been over forty years since any had seen his face. To his great regret Preston hadn’t been at the stables when Whale had resurrected Daniel. Emma could see that Preston was sad about this, having learnt that the man considered the young stable-man to be his honorary son.

After that conversation Emma had asked him what she could do for Regina, and for Daniel. He had plenty of suggestions, things for the horses and stables that would make life easier on all. She had settled on a covered arena when he told her about Princess Regina training her steed in the rain and had left him to make preparations. She could do most of the work herself, only Regina wasn’t stupid and would realise that the magic used had to come from somewhere and she was one of the only ones with that amount and a desire to make her happy, so she decided to hire some people to do the rest.

She borrowed a digger from the local Storybrooke earth movers and construction company, and used it to make tracks down the side of the hill and in the area she wanted the arena. Then she used her magic to remove the top layer of dirt and level it. She had to make it look like a mortal had done the work, Regina wasn’t ready to know it was her just yet. The next few nights were spent researching sand and fencing and hiring the builders to take care of the roof, as she had caught Preston and a few riders camping out, curious to see who she was and what she was doing. Once they had abandoned their watch she had gotten back to work, placing fence posts and then nailing the railings. The gate hinge had been a bit trickier, but she was an ancient and immortal being of magic, she could lift in and fix a gate.

The sand was easy- she took some from the ocean and ground it finer, changed it around a little, and made sure there were no nasty surprises for horse feet in it before settling it on the bottom of the arena. Then she let the construction boys do their thing. It took them longer than she wanted, what with their day working hours, limited strength, no magic, and the weather. Getting the supports into place had taken almost a week before she interfered and made the track bigger, stronger and wider while they were sleeping-it wasn’t her fault the cranes couldn’t get up and down the track without endangering everyone around them because it wasn’t safe. After that it only took a few days for the supports and then a few more for the roofing. The electrician had put in great big lights so that even in the dark they could ride and train.

Her next problem had been what to do for a memorial gift, seeing as the arena could just be considered a gift and a bribe and she didn’t want it to come across that way. She wanted Regina to appreciate what she had done and the reasons she had done it. Honouring your would-be girlfriend’s dead love with an arena and a statue seemed like a good way to do it, and she knew that the mayor wouldn’t turn down a gift on behalf of Daniel.

Getting to know his face was slightly more difficult as if Preston were to be believed only a few people truly knew Daniel (and Snow couldn’t be trusted to remember his face and she didn’t want to see her mother) so that left her with the option of talking to Regina, which would let her know who she was and what she was doing, or going back to Preston. Thankfully her magic was instinctive and when she focused on her desires enough she was able to get an impression of the man from Preston’s memories. Then she had taken it to one of the local artists in town and told her to draw him- perfectly or else. The statue had been easy as well. She had made a mould and then had a man who was a blacksmith in the Enchanted Forest sort it for her. Threatening people with the deaths of them and their family members worked wonders for production and he got it done in record time with a nice tip on the end. A trip to the local sign-man and she had the lovely words along the top which were nailed to the top beam before the electrician was finished. Of course, any of these people wouldn’t be able to remember her when they were later asked, she couldn’t have Regina find her that easily.

All in all she felt she had done marvellously, and was very, very nervous for Regina to see it. Of course, having the Mayor break down crying in front of her when she saw what she had done had made her life a little bit more complicated. She had almost destroyed the entire thing because she had thought Regina hated it-happy tears are an actual thing, who knew? Of course then she almost broke her composure by kissing her after she dismounted, though to her credit she did just spend a good half hour pressed up and rubbing against the woman she was in love with- even Mr. Spock would have been proud of her composure. Regina didn’t notice a thing, of course the way her eyes had darkened when they were in an embrace was an indicator to the contrary, but that could be dealt with later. She didn’t want desire, she wanted her heart as well, and she figured she was close to getting it.

This Friday’s gift was a box full of top-of-the-line horse equipment with the note encouraging her to ride again, though that was only a partial gift, her actually gift was a voucher for the local Go-Kart Arcade and it was for two. She had taken great care to include Henry in some of the gifts, knowing that Regina would be to shy or proud or too much of an adult to do some things by herself, and spending time with her son was very important. She would have included one for Roland as well, but the lad was staying with the Merry Men for the interim and only spending a few days a month with Regina (she dealt with it the best she could, considering she had Roland’s father’s murderer and his mother’s murderer under the same roof). Besides, Henry was getting older and time with her teenage son was very important to Regina.

Slipping from the house she materialised in the alley outside of the post office and made certain she was in her disguise before striding into the street and walking towards the building. They knew her well by now, didn’t know what or why she was sending things to Regina, though she had heard whispers someone was trying to woo the Queen, but delivered their packages as they should have.

The staff murmured as she entered the shop and the one at the counter straightened with a smile, pimples cheeks waving at her merrily.

“Hey! Something else to the Mayor?”

Emma didn’t talk on these visits, she’d decided it added to the mystery and also couldn’t be bothered trying to disguise her voice as well as the rest of her, not yet anyway.

The employee wasn’t fazed by her silence, he just kept talking. “Alrighty, that’s $17.30,” he said as he counted up her total and she slapped a twenty on the counter and turned to walk away.

“See you Monday!” He called out as he took the box and carried it into the waiting room. She knew they would deliver the package as soon as possible. The store owner was friends with Miss Roberts from city hall and their conversations were mostly gossip and the secret admirer delivering packages to the former Queen was certainly gossip. Only the flowers and food were known to the public, though whispers of a garden, and an arena had made it to the public ear.

She turned back into the alley and vanished before the two youth tailing her could catch up and see the magic used. So far all they did was follow on foot but she knew they would eventually install a camera to catch her, just for the gossip of course, then she would have to think of something new. She returned to the mansion and began to peel and cut some vegetables, checking her cell phone for Henry’s reply.

After her confession to Regina and the subsequent cold shoulder she had given everyone, Regina had insisted she integrate herself back into society. Emma thought it was so that there would be more witnesses to any of her potential crimes at first, but then realised that Regina just wanted her to be happy, as content and as welcomed with her Dark One moniker as she was as the Saviour. So she had gone out in public with Regina a few times and sometimes Henry, though she had spent four nights out of seven officially at the mansion for tea and sometimes she was there for breakfast. Henry still hadn’t been told that Emma was living there secretly- Regina was planning on asking him about it this weekend before he spent Saturday night with his grandfather out in the woods.

Regina hadn’t been particularly pleased about that, especially as the weather was starting to sour, but had allowed it, trusting David to keep Henry safe. Though if he returned with a cold Emma was certain her father would be hearing all about it.

Also at Regina’s urging she had got in touch with David again, had appeared in the station with some donuts and coffee and just sat there and listened, occasionally offering a comment. Snow had been much more difficult. It had taken a lot of David’s pleading and promises to get her to agree to a meeting, and Snow had been warned that she was to stay away from her Darkness or Emma would be leaving again. David had talked to Snow about it and while their first meeting since her blow up had been very awkward the family had been getting better. Mostly Snow had to understand that she couldn’t pretend like none of Emma’s history hadn’t happened, and trying to pretend her daughter wasn’t a fully grown adult and was her own person was only making their relationship harder.

Snow had cried a lot, so had David, but to their credit they had tried to understand where she was coming from and had stopped asking her when she was coming home or how they were going to get the Darkness out of her. They started to listen, and that was what Emma had been missing from their relationship, and it was going much smoother now they were listening to what she had to say and acting on that information, rather than what they thought was right. Neal was still a tender subject but Emma didn’t blame the baby for any of it, she loved her little brother. If things went well with Henry and Regina, she would tell Snow and David on Sunday that she was moving into the mansion for the time being and that Regina had been helping her and would continue to help her. They would offer to have a family dinner once a week, where the entire family would dine together. She was a little apprehensive about that, but her and Regina had discussed it and decided it was best for their little family.

She spent the remainder of the day in her room colouring in her swear words in the adult colouring-book Regina had gotten her. She had gone with black, red, orange, and yellow for the f-bomb and was colouring the ‘U’ when Henry’s reply came in.

 _That’ll be cool! See ya later!_ There was a smiley emoji at the end and a thumbs up and Emma smiled and vanished from the room. Regina didn’t even move from where she was on the phone when she materialised in her office. Smiling in greeting Emma dropped onto a seat and waited until Regina had finished talking.

“Yes, that’s correct Mr. Malcom. I did mention it in my last email-Yes, I am certain,” Regina rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation, sharing a look with Emma. The gift box was open on the ground next to the desk and the note was atop the desk next to a note pad and pen. She had already received the gift, so Emma could now read and look and then gently tease her about it. It was rather unfair, she had thought, getting her Intel from an unsuspecting Regina, but the ends justified the means. If she was successful then Regina would have someone to love her always for the rest of her life so Emma asking and seeing Regina’s reactions was only going to help them both in the long run….besides, if it were someone else then they wouldn’t know Regina like she did, so everyone wins.

“It’s been done this way for the past three decades, Mr. Malcom. Yes!” She sighed audibly and was tapping manicured fingers on her desk. “I expect you and your team to be there when the train comes in… It is _not_ up for discussion,” she snarled, clearly running out of patience with the man on the other end of the line.

Emma reached for the note and read it while Regina finished with her phone call.

_For Regina with love_

_I don’t know a heart that loves as yours does. Take your son and have fun._

There was an address written below, the address of the Go-Kart Arcade Emma knew.

She held it up as Regina finalised her call.

“Yes. Fine. Goodbye,” she was too polite to slam the phone down but she eyed the hook like she wanted to.

“I don’t know a heart that loves as yours does,” Emma said, reading the note out loud with a flourish.

Regina paused as she lifted back from the phone but then rolled her eyes fondly. “I can think of a few,” she answered as she began to tap away on her keyboard. Then she reached for the phone again. “Give me a moment.”

Emma nodded and relaxed on the chair before eyeing the box and moving around the desk to pick it up. She sat with it on her knees as Regina spoke into the phone, she caught the end of what was being said as she was rustling around in the box looking at what she had gotten Regina. There was some saddle soap (to polish the leather pieces of horse equipment), some boot polish, a jar of hoof protector-if the label were to be believed, a brand new set of horse brushes and combs, a strange looking hook with a handle, some clothes, a sponge, horse shampoo and soap, and a weird looking comb thingy.

“… yes, and Mr. Malcom will deliver it to you some time Tuesday afternoon. The train is due at half one….yes. Thank you. You to. Bye.” From the lack of ire on Regina’s face this person had been much more reasonable.

“Need me ta go an’ talk sense into someone?” Emma asked and waggled her eyebrows playfully. She was sort-of-not-really-kind-of-maybe-okay, yes joking when she added innocently, “I’m a good talker. People like listening to me, especially when their body parts are at stake. I’m sure I can make their production increase by 100%.”

Regina looked at her a moment to gauge her seriousness before rolling her eyes. “I’m sure our versions of a ‘talk’ differ greatly, Miss Swan.”

Emma beamed back at her. “I bet,” she waggled her eyebrows again, “and our definitions of ‘just friends’ and ‘sleepovers’ are as well.”

Regina’s brow twitched and she tilted her head slightly. “I’ve never really had friends.”

“Maleficent,” Emma pointed out.

A smile crossed Regina’s face and she ducked her head in acknowledgement. “Mal and I weren’t…just friends,” she admitted slowly, “but she was all I had for a time. And we never really slept,” she said with a wink. Emma grinned, she loved the playful side to the Mayor that not many people got to see though she felt the Darkness snarl at Regina having ever belonged to anyone but her.

“Kid wants us to take him for ice-cream,” she said changing the subject least she give her feelings away.

Regina tilted her wrist to glance at the watch that rested daintily against her skin and nodded. She started to shuffle her papers around and powered down her computer.

“You’re buying?” The Mayor wanted to know though the lift to her brows suggested she wasn’t serious.

Emma shrugged and nodded, jamming her hands into the back pockets of her jeans. “Sure. It’s a date,” she offered impishly, though there was a slight vulnerability to her words.

Regina looked up from where she was putting files into her top draw and gave small smile but didn’t correct her or agree, so Emma took that as a win. She stood, taking the box with her and wandered over to the door as Regina stood and gathered her jacket and purse. She hesitated and then grabbed the note and slid it into her jean pocket, the stationary standing out against the tight, dark fabric.

Emma bowed Regina through the door dramatically and the Mayor lifted her chin imperiously and glided through the space, a curve to her lips.

Emma shut the door behind them and heard the lock arm itself and she smiled at the memory of the old days, Sheriff versus Mayor, and how Regina had always been one step in front of her. The brunette was so damn sexy when she was mad, and even more so when she was gloating in her victory.

Regina’s assistant was typing away at her computer as they passed and Regina offered her the opportunity to go home as soon as her work was completed.

“Th-thank you, Madam Mayor,” Miss Roberts was startled by the offer and rose to her feet, though Emma guessed it was more do to with trying to look into the box she carried than out of respect.

They drove to Henry’s school with the radio playing some top twenty hit. It was very repetitive and Emma vowed to never let it play to Regina, to never sing it to her. Ever. It was, quite frankly, shit.

A lot of parents were already at the carpark waiting for the school to let out and Regina easily guided her car into a free park near the entrance. It was odd that the park was free considering the time of day and that all of the other parks were taken. She pondered this out loud and was met with silence.

Emma caught Regina biting her lip out the corner of her eye and turned and lifted a brow in question.

“I _may_ have claimed this park when Henry first started going to school and everyone else knew to stay away from it,” she hedged and released her lip to smile sheepishly.

Emma felt a grin creep onto her lips. “And by ‘claim’ you mean?”

“Henry got confused because it wasn’t me in that park,” Regina went on to explain. “And he was crying when I finally got to him so I _may_ have loosened my tongue on the parent….”

Emma was smiling broadly now, able to picture the imposing Mayor unleashing a verbal tirade upon an unsuspecting townsman or woman. The bell signalling the end of the day rang out across the school grounds.

Regina ducked her head and nodded a little. “I _may_ have terrified them so badly that they wet themselves,” Regina mumbled quickly before adding, “No one else ever took it again,” at her normal pace.

Emma laughed and offered her hand for a ‘high-five’. “High-five!” she cooed when a bemused Regina lifted her hand to hers with a clap.

Seeing Henry coming towards them with a group of his friends Emma ducked out of the car and moved the seat forward so that he could squeeze into the back seat. The Benz was nice and all but a four-door would make it perfect.

His friends paused a little when they saw her leaning against the flank of the car but she ignored them in favour of Henry’s broad grin.

“Hey, Emma!” His smile was contagious and she felt her lips rising in response.

“Hey, Kid,” she opened the door and gestured towards the rear seat. “In you go.” Henry huffed but called farewell to his friends and tossed his bag in first, replying to Regina’s greeting, and then clambered in after it. When he was settled Emma pulled the seat back and got into her seat, ignoring the looks from the other parents.

“How was school, honey?”

Henry shrugged and then answered, seeing his mother’s brow raise in the rear-view mirror. “Was okay. Got a B on my math test.” He shrugged again and then his brow furrowed. “Aren’t we going home?”

“Well done, honey. But if you need help with it please come and see me,” Regina met his gaze through the mirror. “And we’re going to get ice-cream?”

“I told Regina you wanted a reward for doing good in your test,” Emma interrupted and turned around to give Henry a look.

“Oh. Okay,” Henry said with a smile. “I didn’t think you’d say yes.” He was catching on quickly and certainly wasn’t about to pass up the offered treat. Regina’s eyes narrowed and she glanced to Emma but the blonde just smiled winningly back at her.

“Well,” Regina halted at a stop sign and then sped through the intersection. “Did you try your hardest?”

“Yeah.”

“Then of course you can have ice-cream.” It took them a few minutes to get into town and find a parking spot but when they did Henry had unbuckled his seat-belt and was leaning forward trying to urge Emma out of her seat faster.

“Go grab a booth!” Regina called after their teenage son as he raced ahead, eager for his ice-cream.

Emma and Regina followed at a slower pace, ignoring the townspeople that stared at the Dark One Saviour like one would an animal in a zoo.

“Did he really ask for ice-cream? Or was that just you being you?”

Emma smirked in response and opened the door to let Regina into the ice-cream shop. It was cool inside, modern but friendly, almost bubbly in its décor. There was a long line of freezers with ice-cream flavours in them and with a board hanging from the ceiling with various prices per scoops as well as combinations. Different sized bowls were on top of the counter. Two bored looking workers straightened when the two entered, looking from the Mayor to Emma and back again before swallowing.

Henry was already sampling flavours and was almost bouncing with excitement.

“What one can I get?” He asked indicating the various scoop and cream or soft serve, and syrup and topping combinations.

“Whatever you want,” Emma answered, casting a sly glance to the Mayor.

“Miss Swan’s buying,” interjected Regina smoothly with a raised brow to the blonde.

“Cool!”

The trio took a few minutes to decide on their treat and then ordered.

“Sorbet? Really?” Emma mocked as she watched the server scoop three different flavours into her own bowl and then carry it to the soft-serve machine.

“Mh,” Regina hummed as she reached for her bowl. “We don’t all have abs, Miss Swan. You may want to cut back.”

Emma froze for a moment dumbfounded while Henry giggled as he dove into his ice-cream combination. “I think she just called you fat, Emma.”

“Nonsense Henry. I have better manners than that,” but she pointedly took a small bite of her sorbet.

“Rude! You’ve seen my abs,” Emma defended and accepted her ice-cream with a pout. The server’s were watching with wide eyes and it wasn’t just because Emma hadn’t been seen around in a while.

“I’m in great shape!” She frowned at her ice-cream- a three scooped, chocolate sauced, soft served mountain of sugar and carbs- as though it weren’t a heart-attack in a cup and wouldn’t mean hours on the treadmill.

“Mh,” Regina’s dark eyes glinted in amusement. “You are,” she answered with a nod and walked with Henry towards a booth with a soft smile as Emma blinked, wondering what had just happened.

She slapped a note down on the counter and followed her family over to the booth, not caring that the tip she had left was more than what the server’s would get in a few hours of work.

Regina had slid into a seat opposite Henry and was taking delicate spoonful’s of her sorbet while Henry dug into his ice-cream with relish.

“Don’t ruin your appetite,” she warned as he took a particularly big bite and ended up with some of it around his lips.

His gargled response made her smile and shake her head fondly as Emma nudged Henry over and slid in next to him.

“What’s been happening at school?” Emma asked as she brought a mouthful to her lips.

His mother’s listened intently as Henry launched into a retelling of a fight in the yard, and of a teacher getting caught with another’s wife in one of the gyms, and how the media classroom had been broken in to and had their camera’s stolen. He was partway through telling them about how Johnny from the year above him had been caught bringing adult magazines to school when Emma’s attention was diverted.

Regina had tilted her head to get what remained of her spoonful and her eyes flickered to meet Emma’s as her lips curled around the spoon.

Emma’s mouth went dry as Regina’s eyes glinted in challenge and her tongue flicked out to lick the spoon before darting back into her mouth. Emma followed its movement with keen attention and swallowed when she finally lifted her eyes to Regina’s. A series of emotions flashed across the brunettes eyes and she looked conflicted before her features settled and a sexy smile curled her lips. Emma gulped, her ice-cream ignored.

Eyes locked on Emma’s Regina dug the spoon into her sorbet and brought it to her lips, eyes fluttering closed in exaggerated delight, a silent moan falling from her lips that Emma heard throughout her entire body. It was suddenly hot in the room and she wondered if the air-conditioning had failed. Henry was forgotten. The servers were forgotten. Nothing mattered except Regina’s pink tongue slipping from between her lips to caress the silver soon before snaking back into her mouth.

A sound escaped Emma’s partially open lips.

“Ew, Emma. No need to show how much you like it.” Henry’s brow was furrowed in disgust and to cover her slip she quickly took another bite of her forgotten treat and gave an exaggerated moan. “Bargh ig sag rood!”

His lip curled in a sneer but he dug into his ice-cream anyway and Emma was free to look over at his mother. A delicate flush was over Regina’s skin and she had her eyes lowered to her sorbet as she rolled the spoon between her fingers, appetite evidently forgotten.

Abruptly the door slammed open.

“Swan!” Killian stumbled into the parlour with a stale and alcohol laden air heralding his arrival. It brushed across their faces and pulled at their clothes before fading as the door rocked shut behind him. The pirate had seen better days. He was wearing his leather and didn’t look like he had shaved in weeks and his hair was greasy and flat. His pale skin was drawn across his features and his eyes peered out from above dark shadows.

“Swan,” he repeated, startled and almost as though he didn’t quite know what to say. Emma was on her feet and in front of the booth before he could take more than a half dozen steps towards them and she moved to meet him, ducking away from his attempts at a kiss and embrace. Regina almost pitied the man for his confused puppy look at the rejection. Almost. They had a whispered conversation, Emma’s voice rising into a venomous hiss when he clearly didn’t like what he was being told and complained about it. Loudly. When he mentioned Henry Regina launched herself to her feet, standing half protectively over her son as she sneered in the pirate’s direction.

Emma hissed something else and the pirate made exasperated gestures with his hand, his hook glinting in the light. The servers were watching with wide eyes, no doubt cataloguing everything for gossip fodder.

“Fine!” He growled and turned and stalked from the establishment, evidently unable to sway Emma from her decision and knowing he wasn’t welcome on this family outing.

The Dark One watched him go with narrowed eyes and a tense posture but she took a deep breath and turned back to her son and his other mother. Regina was still positioned half out of the booth and half leaning protectively towards Henry and her dark eyes were tight in concern. Henry had stopped eating and was looking pointedly at his ice-cream and sneaking glances at the blonde.

Regina held her gaze for a moment before turning to Henry.

“Are you finished, Henry?”

Their teenager pushed away the rest of his ice-cream and got to his feet, understanding the question was more of a request to either finish it now, have it in the car, or leave it because Regina wanted them to leave.

“Yeah…I have homework,” he rose to his feet and shuffled from the booth.

Regina glanced at him and then walked up to the still Saviour. Emma was contained energy; tense and vibrating with it, like a cat about to pounce and there were faint grey lightning strikes sparking from her glittering skin.

“Emma,” she said softly. “Let’s go home,” she reached out and gently grasped the blondes forearm and she blinked, retreating back to herself and nodded, allowing Regina to guide her from the store. Henry followed them and quietly got into the Benz and buckled up as Regina talked quietly to Emma. Without complaint she got into the car and allowed Regina to do her seat belt as she stared blankly out the window. Her fists were clenched on her thighs and Regina ignored a lot of the road rules as she took them home, she may have used magic on the lights and other cars to make their journey as quick as possible.

She parked the Benz and darted around the car to help Emma from it. “You’ll be okay?” She asked, hand on Emma’s arm and eyes on him as he got from the car, though he could tell her attention was on his birth mother. He didn’t think that Emma really needed the help, not like physically, but she wasn’t her normal self and she seemed anchored with his Mum, so he nodded so that she could go and take care of her. Regina smiled sweetly at him and then the two vanished in a tornado of purple smoke.

Henry closed the door and trudged up to the house and let himself in. He did have homework, and he couldn’t be doing it over the weekend so he had best get it started He knew his mums would be safe with each other. They always protected each other and kept each other safe, it was almost like they were all a family. And, he thought to himself as he took his school bag into the dining room so he could study, they were a family. Him, his mum, and Emma. They both cared about him, and he them, and… if the way his mums were around each other, they cared about each other. A curious thought settled in his mind as he took out his workbooks. What if they cared about each other as more than friends? What if they had learned to, or could learn to, love each other?

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

The final cords to Lady Antebellum’s _I run to you_ lingered on the airwaves and then Jeremey cut in. “ _And that was ‘I run to you’ by Lady Antebellum- if I’m not mistaken. How are you doing Romeo? Anything to add?”_

For the past week, and on every odd day of the week earlier, and then every Friday the week before that, Romeo had been adding little snippets of the woman she loved, building a picture of the woman to the audience.

“ **She has got to be the sexiest woman alive** ,” Romeo groaned and in his booth Jeremy grinned.

“ _She been giving you trouble, mate_?”

Romeo hummed in agreement and Jeremy chuckled. “ _The women we love tend to do that_ ,” his smile could be heard down the airwaves.

“ _Anything in particular_?”

“ **Eh, not really… the other day she was in the kitchen and just moving along to the radio and I just-argh! She drives me insane!”** Romeo didn’t seem able to keep it in. “ **Eating shouldn’t be that sexy! It was like food porn! And she did the washing-something so mundane shouldn’t look like that**!”

Jeremy chuckled. “ _Well you love her! Everything she does clearly has your attention_.”

Romeo sighed and there was a moment’s pause on the line while the audience and host waited for her to hang up.

“ **Jeremy…..”** her voice lifted slightly. “ **Would you help me with something?”**

The host leant forward excited. “ _I can certainly try, Romeo_.” Thoughts ran through the listeners heads. What could Romeo want? A live performance? An interview with Juliette? Maybe a plan to confess to her love and identity?

“ **What was- did- how-.”** Romeo faltered a few times before taking a steadying breath that could be heard through the radio. “ **How was homosexuality viewed in the Enchanted Forest?”**

The listener’s minds scrambled to identify anyone who wasn’t from the magical land, it wasn’t a very long list.

“ **She is from another land, and I don’t know how she feels about it** ,” Romeo added, dashing the hopes of a few listeners. “ **How the love between to women-or two men- was viewed by her people**.”

Jeremy took a deep breath and realised it slowly. “ _Well, Romeo. I can’t speak for all of the nations, but I can ask our listeners_.” He rattled of a request for a listener from each of the other kingdoms to ring up and tell Romeo how homosexuality was viewed in their home-lands.

“ _I’m from the kingdom of Eric and Ariel_ ,” Jeremy continued, naming the younger royals as they were the most well-known, considering the movie series about them, and Ariel’s alleged assistance of the heroes in Neverland. “ _It was accepted_ ,” he said slowly, “ _or rather it wasn’t a crime. To be honest it wasn’t very common, especially among the nobility and upper-classes. Loving your own sex doesn’t really make for heirs. The few cases I can think of were the lower-class, the peasants. They weren’t ostracised or anything, but there were a few mutterings of it being unnatural.”_ He halted and flicked a few switches on his board _. “Caller, your name and kingdom please.”_

There was a burst of static down the airwave and the listeners winced. _“_ **Oh, sorry** _!”_ The speaker could be heard echoing in their living room, or wherever they were listening to the radio from.

 _“Caller, turn your radio off please, or at least turn it down,”_ Jeremy requested and there was a muffled sound before the static faded.

_“_ **Sorry. Right. I’m Jules of the Plains of Axanzera. Romeo, bud, you’re out of luck if your girl is from my home-land. Any relationship that didn’t provide heirs was frowned upon and if you were caught you were executed to contain your perverse desires. I remember this one time these blokes got caught kissing and they were stoned to near death and then burnt alive during the day. Their families set the fire themselves** _. ”_

_“Ouch,” J_ eremy winced and flicked a switch and then pressed a button. _“Thanks Jules. Next caller you’re on air.”_

_“_ **Hi! Name’s Chloe! I’m from the House of FalconHill, Kingdom of Narvereen. Uh- Kingdom of Midas and his late Queen, Katherine** _.”_

_“Hi Chloe, thanks for calling. How were gay people viewed in your country?”_

_“_ **Neutral, I guess, Jeremy. Like the last caller said, among the higher class heirs were the biggest priority and any relationship that didn’t beget them was frowned upon-even more so than heirs on the wrong side of the sheets, if you know what I mean. There were some relationships among the middle class, mostly the wealthy, and it was a lot more common among the low-class. If there was someone that way inclined in the higher classes then they kept it a secret. Avoiding a scandal was worth more than blood** _.”_

Various callers from all of the kingdoms and countries rang in and commented. Their people’s beliefs ranged from acceptance to a sin with various punishments for being caught. One country encouraged it, which was a surprise, especially in their armies as lovers fought well when together. The women tended to form groups, not always as mates, but sometimes, and raised their children together, as the men were off fighting.

“ _Thanks for sharing, guys,”_ Jeremy said as the last of the callers finished. “ _Romeo, I hope that helped. Certainly makes a guy thankful to be in this land. Everyone should be allowed to love whoever they want_.”

“ **It has certainly been enlightening** ,” Romeo commented. “ **Thank you**.”

“ _You’re welcome… want to share anything else? Maybe tell us where she’s from_?”

Romeo chuckled at the host’s blatant quest for information. “ **Are you playing Guess Who? With the townsfolk, Jeremy**?” She questioned, knowing that the radio stations Saturday morning show had started to take the songs and compare lyrics, or titles, with the snippets she had said and were trying to find ‘Juliette.’

“ _Would I do such a thing?”_ Butter wouldn’t melt in Jeremy’s mouth. He laughed. “ _But you don’t seem up-set, so clearly she is from a country that’s okay with it_?”

“ **I’ll give you that** ,” Romeo’s amusement was clear in her tone. “ **But I don’t think she cares what anyone else thinks anyway. Talk to you Monday**.” The dial tone clicked on as Romeo hung up and Jeremy laughed again.

“ _Alright, thanks Romeo! I’ll talk to you on Monday! Now, for those listeners who are interested, Marty and Eryn have a list of everything Romeo’s told us about Juliette, as well as songs and lyrics they and you, think are important. They have also started to cross people off the list, but there is still a lot, so have a listen on Saturday or pop online to the ‘Morning Madness’ show page and check it out!”_

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Her butt was warm. It was a brief thought that passed through her head as she pressed her foot further down on the pedal and roared down the straight after Henry. She could see her son’s break lights flash as he rounded the corner and heard the motor scream as he gunned away. She gripped her wheel tighter as she came into the turn, relying on years of experience of driving to glide around it without needing to break, she just lifted her foot off the accelerator. Ahead of her she could see Henry grinning under his helmet as he drove his kart around a bend and came back towards her. Naturally he had chosen the one with flames rearing up its flanks and had decided she should get the one with flowers on it because she was a girl and flowers were pretty and so was she. She had rolled her eyes at his cheek and told him he wanted her to have the flower one and he the flame because he thought the fire would help him win, but he’d just beamed at her and bounced over to his kart.

Friday’s had become her favourite day of the week though she would never admit it. For a month now as well as little gifts and flowers and foods with her notes, she had also received a bigger gift at the end of the work week. First it had been the garden. Then a fishing trip with Henry-which she had grit her teeth and done, regardless of the smell- which Henry had loved. After that there had been tickets to the ice-skating rink that had appeared in the park one night and had stayed for a week. She had been furious that someone had built it without her and the city’s permission and approval, and she couldn’t punish anyone because there was no one to punish! Admission fees were $20 for children and $30 for adults for the day and all proceeds went directly to charity. The nun’s in charge of dispersing boots and ice-rides- small ride-on animals for the kids-, collecting the fees, and making sure everyone kept to the rules merely said that someone had told them what was happening and requested their assistance with it. Of course they had accepted, part of the donations would be going to the Sister’s for their assistance. Despite her ire she had loved her time on the ice with Henry, having not skated since she was a girl and her father had taught her.

Then she had been given the memorial arena and there were now whispers around town of someone trying to woo the Mayor. She was the only Regina in town and you can’t dedicate a garden to a Regina, and you can’t build an entire arena, place a statue in front of it, have the words ‘Daniel Colter’ on it, and not have word get around. Those who knew of Daniel’s resurrection had connected the dots and she had more than a few curious glances on her when she went out, people wondering why she built an arena for her dead love now, rather than earlier, and why she had used her own funds to do it. The town was curious as to who would build a garden for her but so far the guesses had been far off the mark. Mostly because some of her gifts had been private ones, ones just for her, and then ones for her and Henry, and her, Henry and Roland.

“Go, Mum!” Henry shouted as she rounded the corner, bouncing off the tire on the side before straightening and jamming her foot to the floor, hoping to catch her son on the curving parts of the track. Her admirer had booked the entire arcade for a half hour, and they had been there about half of that. Her muscles were straining comfortably as she forced the steering wheel around and used the barrier to guide her around the corner, Henry’s rear wheels just out of reach.

They were approaching the straight and she stuck to his tail as they rounded the final corner before swerving out and planting her foot. Her kart groaned and then obeyed, shooting forward and she flew down the straight, drawing next to Henry, who had his tongue peaking between his lips in concentration, and then edging past him. The corner at the end was gentle and she was able to stick to the inside to get ahead of him before the track tightened and made passing difficult.

“Awwww,” Henry whined as she zipped past him and she could hear him trying to match her as she dove into the corners.

“Flower power!” She roared back at him with a grin and was rewarded with his laugh as she moved onto the next corners. It was as she rounded another corner for the final lap that she saw people on top of the stand near the starting line. Snow White was waving and cheering them on while David held Neal in one arm, lifting his little arm to wave at them as they raced around. The signal lights around the track flashed orange signalling the order to slow down and return to the pit-lane.

Eyes narrowing in confusion she finished her lap and drove into the pit-line and waited for Henry to catch up before getting out of her car. Her son was grinning, breathless with his face flushed even as it was squished in his protective wear.

“That was awesome!” He said, voice cracking slightly on the final word. “We should do it again next week!” He didn’t seem to realise they still had time left and she turned curious eyes on David and Snow as they came down from the spectator’s area to the waiting area. There were a bunch of teenagers there waiting and they looked familiar.

Her arms were sore from holding the wheel and her bum was numb through the rattling of the kart. “Maybe,” she said noncommittally, focusing more on Snow and Charming as she removed her helmet and raised a hand to her hair to pat it into place.

The proprietor of the arcade turned from his private booth and walked over to the Mayor and her son as the teenagers started to get helmets on. He had a familiar piece of stationary in his hand.

“Madam Mayor,” he said respectfully as he offered her the note. Henry realised something was up and removed his safety helmet and tucked it under his arm, hair sticking up in all directions.

His brow tightened as he looked over at the teenagers. “There’s Grace and Paige and Nick and Eva and Phil and Tim,” he then added a few more names of his classmates and friends. He looked slightly hurt that they were all together. “I didn’t know they were doing something…”

 

_My dearest Regina,_

_Fun is tenfold when family and friends are involved_

_P.S- Pizza come’s at 1_

 

Regina’s sigh was hidden by an excited whooping and she glanced up suddenly to see Tink standing next to Lily and Maleficent. “This is gonna be awesome!” The blonde fairies excitement didn’t quiet extend to the sorcerer next to her. Maleficent was eyeing the karts and track with suspicion.

Henry looked confused now and looked to his mother in question.

“They’re here for you, Henry,” she said with a smile and directed her head towards his classmates. “Go on.”

“Ah, your admirer,” he said knowingly and she hushed him, shooing him off towards his friends. He strode off with a grin and Regina tucked the note into her jeans and wandered over to see Snow and Charming.

“Snow. David,” she nodded in greeting. “Dare I ask what you are doing here?” Her brow arched in question, though she knew the answer, she wondered if they did.

Snow was beaming at her, doe eyes alight with some sort of excitement. David just looked confused.

“You said to meet you here?” He asked as he shifted Neal on his arms. The boy was gazing with wide eyes at the karts but didn’t seem distressed by the sounds.

Regina shook her head slowly. “I can assure you, David. I did not.”

“It was in your text,” David blinked in bemusement, eyes flashing blue.

“What text?” Regina asked, knowing what she was about to hear. Snow was almost jumping up and down with excitement.

“I told you she didn’t send that!” She basically screeched and Regina raised a brow.

“You never send any emoji’s,” she explained, still vibrating with energy. “And the tone was all off. It wasn’t you.”

Regina blinked and then spoke slowly, as though to a child. “So you just followed it and brought your entire family with you on a stranger’s whim?”

Snow had clearly been practicing her eye roll. “No. I rang up and checked. The Arcade is booked for Regina Mills from eleven-thirty until one-thirty. Your admirer did it!”

Regina’s expression dropped. “I told you, there is no admirer!”

David looked between his wife and Regina confused. “So…. Regina didn’t send us the text? But she’s here…”

Snow turned to her husband and patted his arm. “Regina’s admirer did as a gift for her, pay attention.”

“There is no admirer!” Regina hissed out, fists clenching at her sides.

Snow shot her a knowing look, it really didn’t suit her. Regina was far more suited to the condescending look. “Henry told me,” she was grinning again. “Even though you tried to throw me off the scent earlier.”

Regina sighed and turned to glare at her son who was mingling with his friends with a smile, all excited energy like he was when he was a toddler.

“It’s okay, Regina,” Snow reached out and grasped her arm, excited energy gone for a moment. “It’s okay to have an admirer.” It was odd being comforted by a woman who was her daughter-for better and for worse- for over a decade and she didn’t quite know how to feel about it. “No harm has come in it yet,” Snow continued gently. “Just go with it,” she offered with a shrug. “What’s the worst that could happen?” Wincing she added. “Don’t. Answer that,” she lifted her hand in apology. “Just… spend time with all of your family and friends. That _is_ what he wants. You don’t have anything to lose by spending time with the people you love.”

David was looking at his wife with his best impression of heart eyes and Regina glanced between them for a moment before sighing and lifting her shoulders in a what-can-you-do gesture.

“Alright, but when we all end up dead I am haunting you,” she cautioned and then moved down to see Mal, Lily, and Tink. The fairy was bouncing up and down in excitement and her eyes were alight with the flames of competition.

“Hi Regina! Thanks for the invite!” The fairy said and to her surprise pulled her into a hug across the railing. The beam jabbed her in the stomach unpleasantly but she ignored it and lifted her arms to pat Tink awkwardly on the back.

“I’ve got the fire one!” The fairy screamed as she bounded through the ranks of teenagers and towards the kart.

“Wait, you need a helmet!” The instructor called helplessly as the fairy settled into the seat, grin firmly in place. The teenagers were giggling at the fairies antics though there were a few disappointed pouts as the flame etched kart was claimed.

“Thank you for the invite,” Lily said stiffly and Regina gave her a nod. The woman hadn’t quite gotten over Regina stealing her blood for ink for the Author’s Pen, though Mal had talked her down from trying to take anything further with the former Queen. Dragon shape-shifter she may have been, but sorcerer she was not and Maleficent wasn’t willing to risk a fight with her former friend, lover, and student over something that could be avoided. For some reason the two didn’t really like each other and eyed each other like cats whenever they were forced to be around each other.

“Thank you for coming,” Regina’s smile was her political one but stretched out as she looked at her friend. “I hope you’re ready to get your ass kicked.”

Mal smiled slowly, lips curling until a smile split her face. “My Little Queen,” she husked. “It has been years since you have gotten the best of me.”

Regina’s dark eyes glinted at the challenge. “But you love a girl on top,” she said innocently and bit her lip with a coy smile.

“Only when its you,” Maleficent confessed with a wicked smile and Lily looked mortified. Regina grinned like the cat that had gotten the cream. Snow and Charming looked between the two witches startled and Snow might have turned a little pink. David choked on his own spit, and he swallowed harshly as his wife dragged him away.

“I’ll just go…yup,” Lily commented and walked quickly away to where the teenagers were putting on their helmets.

“We aren’t interrupting, are we?” Two people hovered awkwardly at the door and were eyeing the exchange curiously.

“Katherine,” Regina whispered in surprise before quickly gaining her composure. “Of-of course not. Hello.”

“We’ll speak later, Little Queen,” Maleficent leant forward and kissed her on the cheek before gliding over to her daughter and pointing at the karts and asking for an explanation.

Princess Abbigail and her husband Fredrick stood a bit awkwardly behind the rail but nodded in greeting nonetheless. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to come today,” the former princess confessed and her eyes were narrowed on Regina’s face. “But a …friend… of yours came and spoke to me.”

She lifted her hand as Regina’s mouth opened. “No, I know you didn’t send them. They said as much,” her eyes were glinting harshly. “I wasn’t happy to hear what they had to say, but I agreed to give you a chance to explain. Besides, free Go-karts and pizza. You can talk later,” she added and then marched across to the preparation area where teenagers had already placed their belongings and were helmeted. Fredrick hesitated a moment as though to say something and Regina tilted her head ready for his words but his jaw worked noiselessly and then he followed his wife. Regina let out a breath of air she didn’t know she’d been holding.

“Mum! Come on! We’re picking teams!” Turning at Henry’s yell Regina obediently made her way over to where the group had gathered, minus Tink who was still firmly in her claimed Go-Kart listening intently to the instructions.

The operator ran through the safe safety checks as he had when it had just been Regina and Henry and then offered to make it exciting by turning it into a proper race with placement and points. The winning team would win bragging rights and a dozen tickets for the arcade games in the foyer each. It was decided as the two teams split up, with pairs opting to share a kart and switch members on each race so that every got to drive.

Regina opted to sit out for a bit, having been fine doing the laps with Henry and needing time to think. She was also callously amused by Snow and how she acted around Katherine, though she immediately felt the dark stab of guilt that followed for what she had done to the innocent blonde.

She purposely sat by herself in the corner of the audience stand and let her thoughts guide her. She was aware enough to notice Henry bumping into his friends as they raced around the track and to see Tink screaming joyously as she bounced off the barriers at top-speed, the break something she’d obviously not heard of. Even Maleficent did a fine job once she got going, it was a rare sight to see the normally reserved blonde with narrowed eyes and a grin on her face as she and Lily raced each other around the circuit.

A crack to her left startled her and she turned to see the Dark One standing there with a snarl still on her lips and her body vibrating in rage.

“Emma!” She rose to her feet and lifted an arm out towards the blonde before hesitating just out of reach. “Are you okay?”

The Saviour bared her teeth at her approaching mother, and turned away from her wounded look to concentrate on Regina. Snow’s wounded expression called to Regina and she hesitated a moment before continuing to make her way to her daughter with her son in her arms.

“I’m fine,” Emma growled through a tight jaw. Regina waved Snow away with a look and then turned her focus on Emma. Snow ground her teeth but obeyed and sat next to Fredrick, to the man’s surprise, and kept casting worried glances at her daughter as she bounced her son on her knee.

“Do you need anything?” Regina asked gently as the group of racers at the front of the pack raced past, Henry among them.

The harsh chuckle the Dark One Saviour gave sent chills down the spines of the audience who- though unable to hear it- could feel it. “To kill someone,” Emma ground out. There were dark flashes of lightning leaping from her body and black smoke was curling around her fists. If Regina didn’t know better she would have sworn that her nose was smoking.

“Well… Murder is off the cards for you,” she said dryly and finally reached out to touch Emma. “How about you sit with me? We’re getting pizza soon.”

At her gentle prodding Emma allowed herself to be guided onto a seat and sat with her shoulders hunched and eyes burning a hole through the opposite wall. Regina slowly sat next to her, and hesitantly placed her hand palm-down on the seat next to her. Emma took her hand immediately and Regina curled their fingers together as she pointedly looked forward and on the track and not their captivated audience. Thankfully they couldn’t see their held hands, otherwise she was certain brows would rise, but it seemed to calm the blonde down, usually, so she was willing to provide what comfort she could.

The racers went through serval laps and still the blonde was as unmoving as stone and Regina was starting to feel ribbons of apprehension running through her veins. Normally Emma calmed down when they were touching, when she was even in her presence, especially when she was rubbing her thumb across the top of her hand like she was.

She flicked her hand and her iPod appeared in it. Emma’s head snapped around at the sound, or maybe the magic, and Regina felt anxiety tighten her belly. The Saviour’s dark eyes were fathomless black, barely a pinprick of light in them. She didn’t need her magic to tell her- and it was loudly as it coiled tightly in her body ready for a fight- that the Dark One was dangerously close to losing control in a likely violent explosion of magic.

She silently offered one of her earbuds to the blonde and waited a good dozen long seconds before Emma silently took it and placed it into her ear, keeping their hands locked and out of sight, before clenching the hand back on her thigh. Satisfied Regina thumbed through her playlist until she found her workout mix and scrolled it through half way. It was loud, angry music that made your heart thud with the beat and your blood race through your veins. There was also a lot of swearing and language Regina didn’t have the heart for in her usual vocabulary. Emma raised a brow in surprise before flashing a smile that fled her features like rain on a hot pavement.

Several songs into the mix and the tightened fist relaxed a little and she was tapping her thigh quietly with long pale fingers. A few more minutes later and the tension began to drain from her body and she was nodding her head along to the music. It started to soften, to slow, signally the end of her workout and she let the mix run to an end before turning her iPod off and shoving it into her jacket pocket.

“Wanna talk about it?” She offered an ear quietly.

In response Emma rattled off a few well-known rap artists that had just featured in the mix and raised a brow. “Didn’t know you had it in you. I thought you were a yoga kinda girl.”

Regina shrugged delicately before grinning wickedly. “Yoga? You’ve met my right hook and you think I’m a Yoga kinda girl?”

Emma smiled back at her, eyes settled; warm and kind. “Now that you mention it,” she rubbed her jaw in memory. “That _was_ quite a punch for a woman who’d spent the last thirty years behind a desk.”

“Mh,” Regina hummed and looked back at the track, a softer smile curling her lips. “There is a lot you don’t know about me, Miss Swan.”

“Pilates?” Emma asked calculatingly. “Cross fit? Or are you one of those treadmill nuts?” Regina was still running her thumb with feather-like gentleness along Emma’s skin. Emma never wanted her to stop.

“Want to tell me what happened? Obviously it didn’t go well?” She countered, knowing that Emma had gone to speak with Hook today.

Emma’s features hardened and she looked back at the track. There was commotion over by the door and a group of people were moving towards it with eager eyes and hands. The driver of the flaming Go-Kart was taking great delight in ramming into everyone, and every corner, with shrieks of joy. Various ribbing was going on between the racers, as they urged their karts faster and tried to beat each other to the finish.

The lights turned to orange and flashed on and off, signally the return of the racers to the pit and they went gladly, having seen or maybe smelt the arrival of the pizza.

The adults were moving the boxes around and calling out what they were and directing the children towards their favoured flavour. Regina flicked her hand and a pile of serviettes, plates and cups appeared for the pizza, and for the fizzy drink that the delivery boy had obviously brought with him. Emma mumbled something and then sighed. Regina was still holding her hand and squeezed it in support, or maybe encouragement.

“No… he…didn’t take it well,” she said finally and turned their hands over so she could run her fingers absently along Regina’s palm. The brunette shivered and her fingertips twitched in reflex but she kept her hand there.

“We broke up, or at least I told him we were over,” her brow was furrowed now. Regina scoffed but remained silent and kept her gaze focused on Emma’s sparkly fingers drawing inconsequential patterns over her palm.

“He liked that even less than my telling him I was okay with being the Dark One.”

“What did he say?” Regina’s voice was laced with venom, a desire to cause Hook harm most likely.

“Nothing of consequence,” Emma said gently, not wanting Regina to get involved as she knew she would the moment Emma gave her permission. She was very protective of the people she cared about.

“It’s okay,” she looked up from their hands and waited until Regina met her gaze. “I promise.” She flipped their hands and took Regina’s and gave it a squeeze. “I told him how I felt,” her eyes flickered away from Regina’s for a moment before returning, caught in the orbit of dark eyes. “How I used to feel, and asked that he respect that. Respect my decision if he had any fondness for me.” She shrugged and stood, releasing Regina’s hand. The brunette rose with her. “We’ll see how that goes. I should go,” she added.

“Wait!” Regina’s voice drew a few curious looks as it was a bit louder than their previous conversation. People had seen the Mayor and former Sheriff seated together talking but hadn’t wanted to interrupt, the malicious aura the blonde gave off enough to keep most of them away, and those that thought to approach were soon met with a blank and deadly stare, like a Black Mamba. “Why don’t you stay? Henry would like it- I’m sure. And your parents.” She shifted on her feet a little, seemingly unaware that she had taken Emma’s hand and was running her thumb along her skin again.

“What about you?”

Regina swallowed but kept her eyes locked on Emma’s, searching again. “I’d like that,” she finally said, interested in her shoes.

“Okay,” Emma breathed out and her cheek twitched in a smile.

Regina’s smile as her head rose made her breathing hitch and her heart do a weird flipping thing. She looked almost shy but there was a shining to her eyes, a glow to her rising from her upturned lips.

Regina walked towards the pizza. “Come on, I know you’re hungry. You’re always hungry,” she added and Emma let herself be pulled along by their interlinked hands. She didn’t fight it very hard, delighting in how Regina didn’t seem to realise they were still holding hands, would never fight any direction Regina sought to lead her.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

 

 


	10. Part Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma delivers a 'final' gift and the world stands still.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that I have gotten Regina's POV right, I struggle with her, for all that I adore her. Thank you for the Kudos and reviews. As always, enjoy.

PART TEN

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“ _Well it’s been a good week! First we started with Westlife’s_ No more heroes; _then_ Just give me a reason _by Pink and that guy from Fun_ ; Run, _also by Pink-great album by the way, if you’re looking for a gift for a friend, go out and get it. We had Meghan_ _Trainer and John Legend with_ Like I’m gonna lose you a _nd that was Westlife’s_ Queen of my heart,” Jeremy Sanders said as the final notes faded. “ _Thanks Romeo. Anything to add_?”

“She is the Queen of my heart,” Romeo said with a smile and hung up, listening in amusement as Jeremy paused and then almost cried in joy.

“ _Okay! That’s awesome! So Juliette is a Queen! That certainly narrows it down! Though not as much as we’d like, Romeo. Gotta give us something here!”_ The host _of Jammin’ with Jeremy_ went on to urge listeners to ring or text in with their comments on the latest revelations and suggested they listen Saturday morning where the hosts would be going over the new information. There were a few dozen Queen’s in Storybrooke if one added the various titles some villains had had and the parents of the more well-known royals.

Smirking Emma turned from the radio as a current pop-hit began to play and turned her attention to her bed. Laid across the duvet in front of her was a book. It was about two inches thick with a solid cover. The black leather had been pressed onto a mould to create the indents and then had been drawn carefully around with gold ink to highlight the patterns. Delicate lettering ran across the top ‘For Regina with love’ and after a sweet pattern in the centre there was ‘When words fail let the heart sing’ on the bottom signalling the title. There were some sweet embellishes around the border and corners. It looked like an old style book, something you would find in the treasured bookshelf of some rich royal in centuries past. It would probably have pretty drawings of forests and mountains and streams on the inside as the words were written in precise, swooping ink. But this book wasn’t a reading book with pictures and fancy lettering; it was a confession.

Emma slowly pulled it open and let the heavy cover flop onto her bed. The title page was simple and she had laboured for weeks trying to find the right words but had eventually settled on a heartfelt message.

 

_Regina,_

_I give you this in the hope that these lyrics will speak the words I am yet to utter. Please have an open heart to them even if yours can only offer friendship. I would have told you sooner only your place in my life is essential to my well-being and I couldn’t risk a rejection and lose you all together._

_Reading this you may have figured out that I am the one singing to you through the radio and also the one writing you letters and bringing you presents. I hope that I haven’t over-stepped but I had to do something least my heart overflow with the magnitude of my feelings for you, even if it wasn’t with my own face. The songs were a way to voice my feelings without facing rejection, and music can invoke so much. Don’t think of the gifts as a bribe- they weren’t meant to be. My only desire was to see you smile and I hope I have achieved this._

_I knew when I started this venture that the road to your heart was yet paved and so had to forge my own, but I know the truth. Your heart is your own and I will accept any part of it you choose to give_ _to me as for long as you bequeath it to me, even if that is only friendship. Your heart is a perfect representation of you, Regina. It is so strong, so giving, so loving. The way you love is unconditional and without reservation. You offer it in its entirety without hesitance. It would be an honour to be loved by you._

_I had to let you know how I feel and I hope I have brought you joy in these past months. When your heart is weary turn to me and I will carry it on. Remember; the road is part of the journey and no destination worth having when it is already paved smooth and flat and lurks around the corner. Ours will be uneven and treacherous, but paradise lingers on the horizon._

_Eternally yours._

 

She had felt very corny writing it, but it said what she needed it to and would hopefully convince Regina to give her a chance, to give the book a chance. The pages after were magiced to play the songs she had sung on the radio when the middle of the page was tapped and written around the page were random things she thought of when she thought of Regina, as well as a message describing why she had chosen the song. The song title was along the top and at the bottom of the page was the name of the artist. Pages upon pages went by with songs and lyrics and little messages and soon there were notes-letters- added to the pages. She had even cut out newspaper articles which featured her actions and she had written little notes on them, laughing at the comments or adding little confessions about the contents. She admitted to wanting hurt the people who had laughed at her at first, but had settled on malicious acts instead. Breaking into the car and hacking the CD system had reminded her of the old days, and she had felt a pang of nostalgia for the ease at which her skills came back to her.

Finally she got to the end where the paper was blank and flicked her phone open. She had recorded herself earlier and was able to bind the song to the page. The lyrics scrolled across it as the song sunk into the magic that bound the book together and soon the entire song was in the book. She grabbed a pen from next to the book and uncapped it, thinking a moment to find the right words before lowering the pen onto the paper. The ink was magical and would scrawl her message across the page when Regina was looking at it before fading to blank when she turned to the next one.

‘You are the queen of my heart’ she wrote carefully and added a heart to the end. ‘I think you’re incredible. You have lead this town well and continuously strive to better the lives of the people, even if they don’t know it or appreciate it.’ She added a few extra notes about Regina being a good leader for the town and then shut the page and flopped back on her bed.

For Regina’s gift today she had sent her a voucher for a Spa day and had added a second ticket so that the Mayor wasn’t forced to go on her own. She’d even checked into the identities of the spa team to ensure they bore Regina no ill will and had then asked for specific staff members to not go near Regina, just in case. She was pretty sure Regina would invite Snow to go with her, or maybe Maleficent- the sorcerer would be less likely to question her regarding her admirer.

To her amusement she had learnt how Snow had found out about Regina’s admirer and had laughed at Regina when she had told her. Regina, Snow, and Henry told it differently, but from what she had gathered from all three Henry had accidently let it slip that someone was sending his mum presents. Of course Snow had noticed the flowers and chocolate and had been a part of the gossip ring that learnt that someone was sending gifts to Regina, so she was suspicious in the first place and poor Henry didn’t stand a chance against his grandmother’s subtle manipulations. Snow was actually quite good at it when she put her mind to it, she must have gotten it from her step-mother, though neither she nor Regina would admit it.

Snow had then shown up to her office in time to catch a delivery and had of course seen the note. Though Regina said that she had been called from her office when the delivery had been made and the note had already been read when she returned to see Snow bouncing on the visitors chair with wide eyes. When confronted Snow had sworn the note slipped out and she had just glanced at it when she put it back on the present. Regina disagreed.

Naturally Regina’s previous denials of an admirer fell flat at such obvious evidence and Snow had been on her back about it ever since. She shared something with Emma in that she kept offering suggestions as to who it could be often driving Regina to her Panadol and water on the good days, and her whisky decanter on the bad days. On those day’s Snow bounded from the office with far too much excitement for a grown woman and had more energy and cheer than a toddler on a sugar high. Emma tended to have a glass of whisky ready when Regina got into her study on those days and offered a smile and asked innocently who Snow had decided was courting her today. Regina usually snatched the glass with a roll of her eyes and downed the lot before sauntering over to the decanter and pouring herself another one. She didn’t like the attention, rather she didn’t like that there was someone out there that (apparently) felt this way about her and didn’t tell her who they were. Being the recipient of love, she had told Emma one night, is a powerful and wonderful thing and is a privilege.

It had escalated after Snow had learnt about the arena (having realised Regina wouldn’t build something like that for Daniel so someone else must have) and the garden and she had immediately gone off to interrogate the builders, riders, and even Mo from Game of Thornes trying to find out who had done such things for Regina. Word was getting around town. Snow wasn’t very subtle about it. Regina had to now endure smirks whenever she was out with Snow and the excited brunette would comment on the people they met, loudly. (‘He smiled at you! He might be your admirer!’ Or ‘He thanked you! And he used to work in your guard, maybe he’s been harbouring a crush!’) Emma didn’t have to try very hard to imagine Regina’s exasperated ‘No, Snow! Please leave it be.’

In fact, the only romance more discussed over coffee or meals was that of Romeo and Juliette and who Juliette was and indeed, who Romeo was. Marty and Eryn from the _Morning Madness_ had narrowed down the list to thirty-seven people that could be Juliette, going off the hints of a child (or more) and various other indicators that would release one or two people from the list. There had been a suggestion that perhaps Juliette and Regina were the same person, but that had been laughed off. Regina wasn’t any of those things that Romeo spoke of, though her name remained on the list as she had yet to be exempt.

After one of Regina’s last confessions regarding how the secrecy made her feel Emma had decided that she ought to come clean and confess who she was. Of course, she was terrified and didn’t know how to do it without making her look like someone who was toying with the brunette. After lurking on Tumblr and Pinterest she had finally settled on a scrap book of sorts, her lyrical confession written down and able to be played back so Regina could hear how she felt. To Emma’s amusement and slight annoyance Regina didn’t care for listening to the radio all that often so she hadn’t been paying attention to ‘Romeo’s’ serenading, and had only glanced at the newspaper segment at the end of the week, which meant that it would be a surprise.

She would have the book delivered in a few days when she figured out how to enchant it so she could add pages to it without having to take it back- that would be very difficult to explain away. There could only be so many people with access to the mansion without setting off Regina’s defences and if the book vanished it would raise eyebrows. Regina wasn’t blind, she would figure it out. Well, she was kind of blind to Emma’s feelings, but to her credit Emma wouldn’t have realised unless she had become the Dark one, though in hindsight sacrificing your soul to save someone else _was_ telling.

Flicking her wrist Emma sent her supplies and book to a hidden compartment under her bed and flopped back on her pillows. She was comfortably full, having indulged with Regina’s glorious cooking earlier. The woman made pork melt in your mouth, and Emma had even willingly had vegetables they were so good.

Her move into the mansion had been meet with suspicion by some; what were the two dark witches planning?, hurt by others; why can’t you move back home with us-your parents-and brother?, rage; Hook had apparently thrown his fist through a wall in fury, and others had just smiled knowingly. It made sense, they said, for the Mayor and (former) Sheriff to be close together in case they needed to use their magic, and the Dark One was under the control of the Mayor. Henry had been ecstatic and had insisted on all of his favourite meals for tea the first night. Regina hadn’t told him yet that Emma had been living secretly with them for months and they had decided that they would not.

Emma and Regina had sat Henry down that first night and had a frank discussion with him. He was asked to understand that Emma wasn’t the person that she used to be and he shouldn’t expect her to react as such. Emma said she would try to act as normal as possible around him and had nearly cried when he had hugged her and told her just to be her, he loved her anyway. Emma would decide when she was up to joining them for meals and if she didn’t want to there would be no pressure for her to. She also was going to be hanging around the house while Regina was at work and Henry was at school so if he had any food requests she would see what she would come up with. Her guest room was also off limits, and both Regina and Emma had emphasised this. Her room was her sanctuary and unless the door was open then he wasn’t to go in. Henry had been very accepting of that term, having been raised to treat Regina’s room the same unless he needed her.

Henry had his own terms; he didn’t want his parents fighting or using magic to hurt each other. Ever. And he wanted them to do things together as a family at least once a week (family game night was born. Who would have guessed Regina knew so much about the world outside of the city?). Otherwise he was happy to have both of his parents’ home and worked out his own schedule of who was to drive him to and from school and anywhere else (though Emma had the right to veto the task if she needed to). She would have bad days, Emma had warned her son, though she would try to keep them from affecting her family and friends. We are here if you need us, Henry had said, and there had been hugs before he had been sent to bed that night.

So far things were going well. Emma and Regina already had a routine and it was easy enough for them to lose the secrecy. Emma did the cleaning and laundry and dusting and vacuuming and other chores while Regina was at work and Regina would start their tea once she got home from work. It was better that way, Emma wasn’t as good in the kitchen as Regina, but she did cook on occasion as a surprise and to make Regina’s day easier. Henry would finish up his homework after helping Emma with the dishes and then they would retreat into the den for a movie or a game or just to read a book. Then Henry would go to bed and after a time his mother’s retreated to their rooms. At eleven they would have their little talk, though for the past month Emma had found herself lying opposite Regina on the brunette’s bed as they talked. Sometimes she would teleport back to her own cold and lonely bed before they fell asleep, and sometimes she would not. But she always made sure she was gone by the time Regina got up and they would go about their day normally without comment on how they had edged closer to each other until they rested in the embrace of the other, intimately, as lovers do.

Emma sighed and glanced up at the ceiling as she counted down the minutes until she could see Regina. Her phone vibrated and then began to play music and she sat up and launched herself towards the bedside table. It was Regina!

“Regina?!” Her body was on full alert, adrenaline and magic roaring through her veins. Regina had gone out after dinner for some reason and for her to be ringing her something must have happened.

“Emma.” Instantly she knew that something was wrong and she fought the urge to rush to Regina’s side. “Where are you?”

“At home? Why? What’s wrong?” She needed to know what was wrong, needed to know that Regina was okay. Her desire to go to the brunette was only increasing and the Darkness was baring its teeth as it roused.

“Have you left the house today?” Regina’s voice echoed slightly like she was far away from the phone.

“Regina? Please, are you okay?” The voices were scornful at the need in her voice but she ignored them. Regina. Regina. Regina. Regina was all that mattered right now.

“I’m fine, Emma,” she replied quickly, perhaps sensing the magic rising in the Dark One’s skin and urging her to find her. “Please answer the question.”

Relief flooded her body and she sat back on the bed and sagged into it. “Not since this morning, why? What’s happened? Can I help?”

Regina had a muffled conversation and then her voice could be heard loud and clear. “Jefferson is in hospital. He was attacked.” She sounded tired now. “I was able to heal a lot of his injuries but…he might not make it.”

“And you thought I did it?” Fury ignited in her body and the Darkness roared as it uncoiled. It was a fair point to make, though that didn’t mean it hurt any less. Emma wouldn’t break her promise to Regina unless she had to and the brunette not having faith in her hurt.

“No!” Regina said instantly and she could hear her belief in that single word. It soothed her ruffled feathers a little and she relaxed a smidge. “No, Emma! Of course not! The house wreaked of magic and as the only practitioner apart from me you needed an alibi…your father says hi, by the way.”

“So I _was_ on speaker phone,” she shifted back on her bed and crossed her feet over her duvet. Her magic had calmed some now that she knew Regina wasn’t in trouble but still stirred restlessly under her skin. “Thought so.”

“Officer Tod has trouble believing me,” Regina offered wryly. “He insisted I ask where he could hear in case I would cover for you. I apologise.”

Emma just hummed as she considered paying this Tod guy a visit. He should do what Regina wanted, not hinder her with mistrust. The Darkness agreed. She could hurt him as a warning.

“And you leave him be,” Regina cautioned, perhaps knowing what thoughts were running through Emma’s head.

Emma huffed loudly and pouted up at the ceiling.

“I’ll be home later. Don’t wait up,” Regina said and then the call went dead.

Groaning Emma settled back on her pillows and crossed her hands behind her head. She would wait. In the meantime, she could figure out how to charm the book page without Regina noticing the magic and coming to investigate. She would send the book to her as soon as she had it figured out, she wasn’t willing to be silent any longer. Regina ought to stay home with her, and with Henry, and not be out there risking her life for someone who didn’t care for her like she did. She should be with her, always.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

In the Storybrooke Hospital Regina was deep in discussion with David.

“You could be in danger,” the acting Sheriff was arguing in a hushed tone, hands speaking for his exasperation.

“David….” Regina began with the air of someone who’d had this discussion many times before. “We’ve been over this. I can handle myself. I’ll be fine.”

“But-”

“No, David!” A hint of iron entered her tone and she drew herself up. “Enough! I can protect myself and my family just fine!”

David sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “He’s targeting the people who’ve hurt you,” he said and gave a shrug. “He’s using magic, and we aren’t any closer to this guy than we were before! What if he initiates a riot? Or a mob to come after you? What about Henry?”

Regina’s eyes darkened with promise. “Don’t worry about me,” her lips curled. “It should be the mob that needs to tread carefully. I have the _Dark_ _One_ under my roof with her son in my house…. She’ll kill them before they cross the lawn.”

“I’m sure we’d all rather she didn’t,” Tod commented as he came up to them with a folder under his arm.

“The paperwork alone would be atrocious,” Regina offered dryly. “Not to mention the mess. What if they crush my azaleas? And blood doesn’t just wash off the paint.” Tod looked startled before he allowed a half smile sensing she was joking, or hoping she was.

David tossed his hands in the air in defeat. “Okay, fine! We’ll leave you be and do what we can to warn the town from any misguided action against you.”

“Jefferson isn’t that popular,” Tod added as he glanced down the hall to the waiting room. There were only two people waiting on him; his daughter and her curse-mother. To the Mad Hatter’s fury she had wanted to keep a relationship with her curse-family and had insisted that she be allowed to go between the two houses at will. Jefferson had been livid but had no choice least he lose Grace forever- her curse parents had been more than willing to go to court over it and it would have gotten very messy.

“Besides, you have an alibi.”

Regina gave him a hard look. “I keep my office door closed when I am inside and I could have easily teleported out, attacked Jefferson, and returned with no one being any wiser.”

“But you didn’t,” Tod shrugged and met her narrowed eyes squarely.

“For someone so interested in proclaiming my guilt from the rooftops not two months ago you’re surprisingly certain of that.”

“I’ve got a measure of you now,” the officer said. “I don’t think you did it. It joins the other cases where magic was used and the victims could be considered your enemies. I don’t think you did those as well even though all evidence points at you.”

“We’ll cordon the house off and have a look at it tomorrow under light. See if we missed anything,” David said as the trio began to walk towards the exit and passed a doctor speaking to Jefferson’s family.

“I’d suggest that you keep your door open from now on,” Tod said as they exited the hospital and stepped into the crisp evening air. “And take care to be seen when you go out. Just in case.”

“I’ll not be cowed by fear,” Regina responded instantly, “but if you insist I will try to keep my door open.”

David looked relieved. “Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner?”

Regina nodded and fare-welled the two officers and strode across the empty park to her Benz. The back of her neck crawled and she hesitated near her door and glanced around her trying to find who was watching her. The only answer was shadows and she unlocked the car and got into it. As she pulled from the park her headlight picked up the silhouette of a man lurking near one of the buildings but as she glanced again he was gone.

Eyes narrowed she kept her attention on the corner before pulling herself from her musings and continuing the drive to home. She, unlike the officials, knew who was behind the deaths of Robin, and Lucy, and that Emma hadn’t attacked Jefferson. Which meant that there was another murderer in town, even if only two people in Storybrooke knew it. She didn’t think that the person who targeted Jefferson was interested in her, the Hatter had more enemies than just her, and maybe they decided to use the suspicion hanging over her for the two previous murders in order to make their move. If they were after her, well, all she had to do was wait. Unless Emma got to them first.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Glass shattered as the brick clattered to the ground in the foyer. The sound was followed by quick boot steps and then a leather protected arm reached through the glass and around to the front door to unlock it. The door swung open on well-oiled hinges without a sound and allowed the intruders entrance to the house. One of the intruders ducked in behind the door and hovered their just out of sight as the other stepped cautiously over the glass and made their way down well polished wooden floors and into the kitchen. They didn’t falter in doorways as they knew the inside of the house and their destination.

The kitchen was pristine and glowed in the late afternoon light, the oranges and reds and yellows of the sunlight caught on gleaming surfaces and benchtops. There was a counter in the middle with three stools and the appliances were modern and sleek. A knife-block was against the far wall next to one of those cup trees. Smiling the intruder slid a knife carefully from the block with a gloved hand and then tucked it into their belt.

As quickly as they had come they were down the hallway and out into the afternoon before any one realised there had been a break in. One even reached through the glass and shut and locked the door, least the attack look anything less than an act of violence against a well-known former criminal. The 108 numbering on the side of the house caught their retreating figures and was the only witness to the vandalism, break-in and theft on Mifflin that Saturday afternoon.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“Hey, Regina,” Emma Swan greeted as she materialised in the Mayor’s Office early Monday morning. “Package for ya,” she held up a rectangle box that was wrapped in silver paper and had a red ribbon tying it off with a bow on top.

Regina Mills glanced up from her computer and smiled in greeting, tucking some hair behind her ear. Then her eyes narrowed suspiciously on the box.

“Hello Emma,” the brunette shifted away from her computer and moved across to a free area on her desk. The bangles on her wrist glittered in the light as she held her hand out for her present.

“Reckon its chocolate?” Emma asked as she handed it over and flopped into the visitors chair and placed her boots on Regina’s desk. Lesson had taught her it was a bad move but the brunette seemed to be in a good mood for she only glared at the offending boots and returned her attention to her gift.

“Oh!” Said Emma in surprise and patted her pockets. “I forgot. The note,” it dangled from her graceful fingers easily and Regina reached out and took it with a raised brow.

“What does it say?” Emma asked, ignoring the question.

Regina flicked it open and after a few moments her brow furrowed. She read it then read it again while mouthing the words. Eventually she handed the note back to Emma who read it out-loud while the mayor started to pensively open her present.

“My dearest Regina. I have grown weary of waiting, as have you. You need not wait any longer. My final gift to you. Enjoy, even if you don’t feel the same. It has been a pleasure, My Queen.” Emma lowered the note and shifted on her seat, trying to look into the box.

“What is it?” She asked.

Regina sighed and looked up from her careful unwrapping to glare at her. Emma smiled back sheepishly and waited patiently the best she could.

Time seemed to slow as she lifted the top of the box and revealed a black leather bound book with gold lettering and embellishes on the cover. ‘When words fail let the heart sing’ was the title. Her heart was pounding like a war-drum and she wondered idly if Emma could hear it beating, or even see it pulsing in her veins. There was something uncurling in her belly; anticipation maybe, or fear.

Her hands shook slightly as she lifted it from the box and set it gently on her desk. It was a solid book; about a foot long and three-quarters wide and about two and a half inches thick.

Moistening her lips she slowly turned the cover over, wondering what it was that she would find.

She felt her eyes widen in awe as she started to read the words and Emma was leaning forward, the blonde seemed nervous, or maybe excited? She wasn’t entirely sure. The carefully blank face was designed not to give much away.

 _Regina._ That was new. Her admirer had always said something else when he gave her his notes. Seeing just her name made it seem more inevitable maybe, it certainly made it more serious.

 _I give you this in the hope that these lyrics will speak the words I am yet to utter. Please have an open heart to them even if yours can only offer friendship._ Regina frowned and something flickered in the back of her mind. _I would have told you sooner only your place in my life is essential to my well-being and I couldn’t risk a rejection and lose you all together._ Regina swallowed and almost against her will her eyes shot up to the woman opposite her, whose dark eyes were intent and swimming with some heavy emotion. Emma’s entire body was primed forward, coiled and ready for…something… Swallowing Regina went back to her letter, but felt the blondes eyes on her, intent and captivating.

 _Reading this you may have figured out that I am the one singing to you through the radio and also the one writing you letters and bringing you presents._ Regina felt her heart do something funny, or maybe it was her breakfast. Her admirer was Romeo! A woman! _I hope that I haven’t over-stepped but I had to do something least my heart overflow with the magnitude of my feelings for you, even if it wasn’t with my own face. The songs were a way to voice my feelings without facing rejection, and music can invoke so much. Don’t think of the gifts as a bribe- they weren’t meant to be._ Regina’s furrowed brow smoothened slightly. One of her fears with her admirer was that it was false and that they were toying with her and her emotions only to use her heart to hurt her later. Then she had wondered if they were trying to sweeten her up so that her ire would be less when they hurt her. _My only desire was to see you smile and I hope I have achieved this._ Regina was fairly certain her eyes were watery and she blinked harshly to clear them. No one had ever spoken so sweetly to her, done anything just for her happiness. It had been a long time since anyone had given her so much thought and she felt her throat tighten.

 _I knew when I started this venture that the road to your heart was yet paved, and so had to forge my own, but I know the truth. Your heart is your own and I will accept any part of it you choose to give_ _to me as for long as you bequeath it to me, even if that is only friendship._ There was that friendship word again. Regina didn’t have many friends, had never had many friends and the way her admirer was speaking made her think that they considered her a friend. _Your heart is a perfect representation of you, Regina. It is so strong, so giving, so loving. The way you love is unconditional and without reservation. You offer it in its entirety without hesitance. It would be an honour to be loved by you._ Regina’s throat tickled and she felt a drop of water slip from her lashes and streak down her cheek and then tremble on her chin before slowly dropping onto the book. She could feel Emma shift but when she glanced up the blonde was back in her seat, eyes still drilling into her own.

 _I had to let you know how I feel and I hope I have brought you joy in these past months. When your heart is weary turn to me and I will carry it on._ She was certainly not hearing a voice speak these words, and it was certainly not that of the woman opposite her. _Remember; the road is part of the journey and no destination is worth having when it is already paved smooth and flat and lurks around the corner. Ours will be uneven and treacherous, but paradise lingers on the horizon._

_Eternally yours._

She felt a flare of anger, even though the turmoil of emotions the words had brought up, because even now she was too afraid to sign her name.

Swallowing once, twice, she took a stabilising breath and then turned the page.

The first page had the name of a song along the top of the page. ‘I just called to say I love you’ was written above a small box and as she watched words started to form in the box. It was lyrics. Lyrics to the song and music began to emit from the page. A voice she hadn’t heard before started to croon the iconic song while Regina listened with wide eyes. As the song finished the name of the artist was scrawled along the area where the page number would go by some unseen hand. Around the box a message slowly took shape.

_I won’t say that I loved you from the moment I saw you, because I didn’t. Couldn’t. But there was something. Something about you drew me in and everything I learnt of you pulled me in further until I couldn’t escape, even if I wanted to._

With shaking fingers she reached for the page and pressed the thick paper between her thumb and index finger. Emma had been silent for a long while now, usually she was vibrating with energy and peaking over her shoulder to see what the gift was, but she was oddly still and quite. It reminded Regina of a cat waiting to pounce; all controlled energy waiting for the command to roar forward and strike.

“What is it?” Emma’s question was quiet, breathless, and Regina slowly lifted her eyes to look at the blonde fully. Emma’s eyes were eager on her face, gliding across her brow line and down her cheeks, along her jaw, lingering on her lips before jumping to her eyes and rising before beginning the process again. Her gaze was…warm… and dare she say it, loving. She looked at her as though she could for the rest of her life, as though she were some heavenly creature capable of taming seas and mountains with her will alone. The charge that lingered in the background of their interactions roused itself into triumph, molten and coiling something fierce.

The Dark One was an ageless creature; a being bound by ancient malicious magic and was known throughout the realms as a heart-less beast; feeding upon misery and despair; revelling in the hopeless. Love was a power that evaded them, elusive and darting just out of reach. The Dark One did not love. Not truly and all encompassing. Never enough to break the curse. But Emma was smiling at her and it made her heart flutter and her mouth went dry. Though the Dark One could try to hide it, there was only so much light, so much _love_ , it could cage and love was blazing back at Regina with the ferocity of wild fire.

Regina’s heart did a cartwheel in her chest, could it be? Could Emma feel the way her eyes were saying?

There was a knock at the open door and both women turned their attention to the sharp-eyed officer standing at the door with a folder in one hand.

“Madam Mayor, is this a bad time?” His dark eyes rolled lazily across the former Sheriff and then over the Mayor but the gleam of intelligence in them suggested he was seeing more than he let on.

Regina straightened and lowered the book onto her desk. “Of course not, Officer Tod. Come in.”

“I’m glad to see you followed our advice about keeping your door open,” the officer said as he entered the room and gave a respectful nod to the Saviour. Emma’s features were neutral as she looked at him but there was a darkness to her gaze, a malicious aura to them and Regina cast her a glance before looking back at the officer.

“I had tired of fighting with David over it,” she offered mildly. “Though don’t tell him. I’d hate for him to think that he can annoy me into compliance.”

Tod grinned in response, dimple appearing on his left cheek. “I’ll be sure to avoid mentioning it,” he said and flicked open his folder. “Report from Saturday…..no DNA on the note or brick and as far as we can tell there was no witnesses.”

“So basically you have no idea who vandalised my home,” Regina said quietly staring at Tod. “Now will you let me find him my way?”

Tod hesitated and cast a glance to the now tense Saviour and back to Regina. “The Sheriff-sorry, acting Sheriff,” he corrected with a glance back to Emma. “Has agreed to allow you to do so provided a member of law enforcement is with you every step of the way and you are not able to peruse them yourself. The law will punish them. Not you.”

Regina’s eyes gleamed slightly but she nodded her compliance. “On my way home I’ll discuss it with David…but if they attack me again I will _not_ be gentle,” she warned quietly. “I’ll not be attacked in my own home.”

Tod nodded slowly in agreement. “As long as you contact the authorities…that should be okay…as long as they’re in good shape when we come an’ get em.” He didn’t sound overly pleased about it, but he had clearly decided there was little he could do when faced with not one but two very powerful witches. He could only hope that Regina was willingly to comply with the law.

Regina shifted her head slightly but offered her politicians smile in response. “I’ll not kill anyone,” she promised softly. “You have my word,” a half smile curled her lips. “For what it’s worth.” Emma bristled but Tod ignored her after casting her a glance and ignored the way the hair on the back of his neck rose.

He ducked his head. “That’s all, Madam Mayor.” Emma relaxed in her chair and the feeling of imminent danger faded.

He gave a partial bow and then spun and strode from the Mayor’s Office, two pairs of eyes watching him go.

“Mh, I’ll see ya later,” Emma said and smiled at her gently before vanishing in a plume of light grey smoke and Regina felt a coolness signally her absence but turned from it in favour of reading her way through her book. It took her the rest of the afternoon and she was thankful she was strict with her project management otherwise she would have fallen behind with her work. Her heart ached with longing for the woman behind the words and called out in one name, the name she hoped-though she knew it were foolish-was behind it. Emma.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

There was a sharp knocking at her door and Regina glanced up from her latest report detailing the shipment of sand and salt and its storage and dispersal around town. There was a stranger at the door and she instantly felt herself tense.

“A minute of your time, My Queen?” They asked quietly though their voice crackled with sound a human couldn’t make, evident of the voice alteration going on. She felt her eyes narrow and she slowly looked over the new-comer. They were wearing plain black skinny jeans and black converse with a faded band t-shirt under a Nike hoodie and a pair of black leather gloves. The hood was covering their face but even then there was some sort of ‘nothing’ under the hood, a magic disguising their features from view. They held a box of some sort in their hand as they leant casually against her door. She could see her wide-eyed assistant watching and she had her cell-phone out trying to angle the camera over the desk.

Regina felt her heart summersault in her chest and forced her face into nonchalance. “You have sixty seconds,” she commanded and the figure pushed off her doorframe with their hip and sauntered over towards her.

Regina’s throat tightened as the woman paced towards her and she could feel her powerful gaze on her, even as she was unable to see the person beneath the hood. She tilted her chin proudly as her guest halted respectfully before her desk.

“I wanted to deliver this in person,” Romeo, for it was Romeo, offered and produced a note with a flourish and placed it gently in front of her. She let the box rest softly on Regina’s paper and took a half-step back. “I know I said no more presents but,” she shrugged and something about the movement raised flags in the back of her mind and her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Regina’s jaw worked as she thought of her words. She had so much to say, and to ask, and she didn’t know where to start. Who are you? Why are you doing this? Why have you waited for so long? How do you know me? How do you love me? “I received your last gift,” Regina said at last when the time for a response had long past. “Thank you.”

She could feel Romeo smile and she shuffled a little and then jammed her fingers in her back pockets, moving her feet a part. The flags in Regina’s mind began to dance and twirl, like one of those complicated flag languages they used on battle-fields or on high-seas.

“No….really….thank you,” she could feel her heart thumping steadily in her chest and pounding rhythmically in her veins. It was loud, roaring in her ears and she moistened her lips slowly. “Are you going to tell me your name?” She knew Romeo’s answer even before the head shook a negative.

“Not yet. What did you think of my song last night?” Romeo asked and Regina’s heart fluttered as she remembered the sweetly crooned words of the night before. Sam Hunt’s _Take your time_ was a song she was unfamiliar with but had played over and over before she had finally drifted off to sleep that night after searching for it on YouTube. It wasn’t the same as Romeo had sung it but it was heartfelt and she had wanted to be close to her, even as she had vowed to do as the song had said, and be willing to remain in the friend zone even if it allowed her a minute of Regina’s time.

“What’s in the box?” She asked for she had a reputation to up-hold and allowing tears into her eyes would ruin her reputation. Truthfully even the memory of the song made her throat tighten and moisture threaten her eyes. She had a feeling Romeo knew that though, she was certain she was smiling gently at her.

Romeo hesitated and then took the box back into a gloved hand and Regina almost rose from her seat at the thought of her guest taking it away but she merely walked around the side in slow and precise movements. Oddly Regina didn’t feel trapped, or even hunted, as Romeo rounded her desk and held out a gloved hand. She felt like a Princess being offered the hand of a gallant knight to prowl the dance floor or to run away together.

The leather of her glove was of a high quality and well worn. Odd for her to pay so much attention to it even as she tilted her chair around to face Romeo head on. Her hand hovered gently in the air, almost like an immortalised lover offering their lover the world if they only wanted it. Her heartbeat was strumming steadily in her ear and veins and she slowly took the hand and allowed it to guide her to her feet after a moments appraisal.

Slowly, reverently, Romeo lifted her hand up to her lips and offered her a feather-light kiss and ran her thumb across her knuckles as she lowered it. Her heart gave a traitorous leap at the touch and shivers crept across her skin, radiating outwards from where the shadow of Romeo’s lips lingered. Charmed at the sweet action she didn’t slap the woman for her cheek though raised a brow as she took her hand back.

“If you’re to kiss me again I’ll have your name,” she whispered and mentally cursed at how breathless her voice sounded. She was not a teenager with a crush. She was far too old and to world-wary for that.

Romeo chuckled, her voice thick with promise and her body roared into horny triumph. “Regina,” her voice was spoken with reverence. “When I kiss you next you won’t know your own name let alone be able to say it.”

Her body shuddered traitorously and she felt hot and her shirt was surely a size to small. It must have shrunk in the wash.

“You’re awfully confident.” Her voice dropped seductively in response to Romeo’s blatant sexual confidence- there were few beings across the realms with the confidence to match the Evil Queen. She took a step forward and brought their bodies very close together, even as she had to tilt her head up to stare into the blank hood.

“Wanna put your money where your mouth is? Or.. your name where your mouth is?” The challenge slipped from her lips and lingered on the air between them. Regina bit her lip coyly and lifted her chin, running her tongue along the back of her teeth and looking up at Romeo with half-lidded eyes. Normally she wouldn’t be so forward, it had been years since she had last used her body to get what she wanted and she felt a thrill run through her as Romeo swallowed audibly and a choked sound emitted from the hood. Swiftly chasing the thrill came a wave of guilt and some dark feeling she would later identify as worthlessness- feeling only desired for her body as hundreds of others had done.

She immediately stepped back and worked her jaw silently, and to her surprise Romeo followed her forward, maybe seeing the play of emotions across her features though she tried to hide it.

Two hands came up to cup her face faster than her blink and she started slightly in surprise, but was not afraid as Romeo guided her head back and the hood descended. Her body hummed eagerly even as her heart faltered and then sank.

“Regina….” Her voice was breathless and cracked even through the voice modifier as she held her face gently and slowly dragged leather-clad fingers down her neck and let them fall to her sides. “I want all of you,” she whispered softly into her ear and Regina shivered as the warm ear caressed her skin and blew her hair back. The heavy, sinking feeling in her chest settled and was replaced with warmth. “And as much as I’d _love_ to lift you on the desk and explore _every_ inch of your skin and coax _every_ sound from your lips…” Romeo growled and she could hear the heavy, laboured breathing from under the hood. “I won’t have my desire for you ruin my plans.”

There was a bubbly tension in her body, a quiet joy she hadn’t felt since whispered promises in a stable and shared laughter across saddles. She had never been courted quiet like this; soft, sweet words and gifts that seemed to pluck at her heartstrings as though they were made for her.

Lips pressed against her cheek ever so briefly and her eyes might have fluttered closed and then Romeo pulled back and Regina could sense the smile, just as she could feel the ghost of lips on her skin. “The rest of the pages will appear every day.” Romeo reached forward and took her hand again, lifting it to her lips. Regina could feel her smile as she kissed her.

She pulled her hand back and narrowed her eyes. “I told you I wanted your name first,” she might have waggled her finger playfully and her heart gave a jolt as Romeo snatched her hand back and nipped her finger gently.

“See you soon, My Queen.” She could hear the playfulness in her admirer’s voice as she backed away. “Keep listening to the radio,” she called as she turned back to face Regina as she walked backwards. A gloved hand lifted in a wave and then Romeo was gone, out the door and sweeping by Miss Roberts who looked as though her Christmas’ and birthday’s for the next decade had come at once.

Regina remained standing where Romeo had left her and lowered a hand to her desk to support herself. Her heart was fluttering and there was a swarm of butterflies in her belly but she smiled after her admirer, feeling something rising in her heart like a sunrise, warming everything it touched and lighting her from within. There was only one woman that had magic and knew her well enough to send her the kind of gifts that made her heart melt and then bloom like a field of daffodils come spring. Emma. Could she live with her admirer being Emma? Her heart was doing a gymnast’s routine, bouncing off the bone bars of her chest. Yes, she would be overjoyed if her admirer was Emma.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Regina shifted on her chair as she checked her bills for the month, face illuminated by the cold light from her screen and the warm light from the fire. It was nine fifty-three on Wednesday night, a week and a half since she had learnt her admirer was Romeo and a week and a half since she had started to listen to the radio every week night. After her visit from Romeo she had returned the page, which had been in the box, to the book and the magic in both and flared in the room before the pages were joint together. Since then every night after the song was sung the page would magically appear in the book a few minutes afterwards. The magic was marvellous to look at and worked wondrously; it was delicate and intricate in kind.

The one downside to her week had been the discovery of a break-in at Gold’s store and the theft of some items, including magical ones. The burglars had also trashed the store, breaking items and leaving a trial of destruction through the rooms as though a tornado had struck at that spot. She had been conflicted over the knowledge as that meant that that her admirer could have stolen the magic she used to disguise herself and Belle had reported that some items may already have been missing as there was security footage showing someone picking the locks a fortnight earlier. It only made her wonder who Romeo was, if it weren’t Emma, and she didn’t have the courage to ask the blonde, and the idea was something hidden in the chambers of her heart, never voiced for fear of it being true, for fear of it not being true.

“ _Alight_!” Jeremy Sanders’ voice crackled through the radio and she lifted her head and lowered her paperwork. “ _That was Jessie J and_ Domino _! But now…. The moment we have all been waiting for….maybe we need a drumroll. Romeo, what do you think_?”

Her admirer’s voice came on the airwaves, as it had for the last two nights. “ **You’ll be needing one in a couple of minutes, Jeremy,** ” she said with a hint of a smile lacing her words.

“ _Oh! What for?! Are you going to tell us who you are? Or maybe who Juliette is?!”_ Jeremy was clearly excited, his voice hit an embarrassing pitch. He cleared his throat as Romeo chuckled quietly. “ **Maybe**.”

“ _Right-o! Take it away_!”

Regina sighed as Romeo began to sing though the radio and leant back in her chair allowing the words to fall over her. She was, of course, familiar with much of this realms pop-culture; spending nearly twenty years in a town that reset every year was very, very boring and the internet was such a fascinating medium, and so recognised the song immediately. UB40 had made the song world famous, but it had originally been crooned by the King of Rock and Roll. Can’t help falling in love. Her lips twitched and she wondered, even as the hope flared in her chest, again who Romeo could possibly be, and if she were who she longed for her to be.

Jeremy whistled as the song drew to a close. “ _Nice! Such a classic! For those of you who don’t recognise the song, that was Elvis, and then UB40’s ‘Can’t help falling in love’_.” He hesitated for a moment and then directed his next words at Romeo. “ _I believe you had a surprise for us? I have the drum roll ready, see_?” He flicked a button and there was a drumroll rumbling from the radio.

“ **The number I gave you earlier…take every second one and dial. I think she’ll pick up**.” There was a click as Romeo disconnected.

Regina felt her heart do something funny and she (and the rest of Storybrooke) could hear the numbers being put into the phone.

“ _Ohh, this is so exciting! I hope she picks up!”_ Jeremy was nearly bursting with excitement as he waited for the dialling to begin and Regina hesitated and then bolted from her chair, forgetting she had magic. Her phone was in her room charging; where she had left it after her shower. She took the stairs two at a time and didn’t worry about the sound she was making as she knew Henry was still up and listening to the very radio show she was about to announced as Juliette on. She had to get to her cell.

Her body wasn’t accustomed to such sudden exercise and her heart was thudding in her chest as she flew past Henry’s room and into her room. Her cell phone was ringing.

“Mum?” Henry must have heard her run past and had stuck his head out of his door, the live-stream of the station playing on his cell.

She dove across her bed and ripped the phone from her bedside table. Up until that moment she didn’t know if she were going to answer it or hang up but she hesitated and then pressed the green icon.

Flailing about on her bed for a moment, as the angle she had landed was uncomfortable, she brought the cell to her ear and spoke calmly, “Regina Mills speaking.”

She didn’t have to imagine the silence that took over the entire city, frozen in shock as they were.

“ _Uh_ ,” there was a cleared throat. “ _Ah, pardon Madman Mayor… but I think I may have the wrong number_.” Jeremy sounded very nervous and his voice echoed slightly through the phone.

Regina’s reply was a while coming. “No…. Jeremy…you have the right number.” Jeremy’s gasp of shock was over ridden by a yelp from down the hall and Regina was instantly on her feet.

“Henry?”

She made it to her door when her son burst in, a great grin on his face and his cell in his hand.

“Mum! You’re Juliette! This is so awesome! I knew it!” He threw his arms around her and the force of his hug sent her stumbling back against her bed. They both landed with a grunt and Henry was off her, grinning apologetically as he waved his cell around. “I knew it!” He repeated and he didn’t even seem slightly upset about her not telling him. “She’s been sending you all that stuff!” He suddenly seemed to realise she was on air and his faint voice would be heard because he was gesturing her to the phone and asking her to talk.

“ _Uh…well, um… Hi, Madam Mayor_.” Jeremy didn’t seem to know what to say.

“Hello Jeremy.”

“ _So, ah, you’re Juliette_?” He cleared his throat awkwardly.

“So it would seem. Though I do prefer my own name,” Regina replied and settled back on her bed and patted next to her for Henry to sit, which he did with exuberance.

“ _Wow! That’s just… wow! How long have you known?”_

“Less than a month.” Henry shot her a frown, but he couldn’t hold it for long with how excited he was. “Jeremy… it’s late, and I would like to talk to my son before bed.”

The host understood her less than subtle hints. “ _Woah, uh, right. Um, would-would you want to come in and give an interview? Maybe tomorrow, before Romeo sings to you? Oh, she could do it to you in the studio! Romeo, if you’re listening, let me know_!” Henry’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll discuss it with you at a later time, Jeremy. Good night.” She didn’t wait for Jeremy’s reply as she clicked the ‘end call’ button and lowered her phone. She heard the crack backlash through Henry’s cell and heard Jeremy fumble with the end of the show before Henry turned the live-stream off and gave her his full attention.

“Mum… why didn’t you say anything? Do you know how it is? When did you find out? Are you going to meet her?”

Regina took a moment to soak in her son looking at her with wide, excited eyes and then sighed. “How about a hot chocolate?”

His eyes narrowed slightly and he drew his head back. “Classic avoidance, Mum….but I won’t say no to hot chocolate.” He grinned at her and launched himself from her bed and bounded over to her open door and into the hallway.

Her conversation with Henry went how she expected it to; he had a lot of questions and she not as many answers, but she answered truthfully to each one. Eventually his yawns punctuated too much of the conversation and she sent him off to bed, ignoring his grumbled protests. He wanted to see the notes and especially the letter and book, but she agreed only to let him see the notes as the book was something she wanted to keep to her heart, at least for a while. He had let those terms pass without complaint, understanding it was important to her and personal. He had been very interested to learn that Emma knew about the book, and that she had delivered it.

She had soon followed Henry to bed and was checking her phone as she settled under the covers and groaned. She placed it back on her nightstand and sighed into the darkness. There was a message from Snow, mostly a bunch of emoji’s expressing their disbelief and excitement and there were even fireworks and streamers and a champagne bottle. _Brkfst @ Granny’s on me. No escpe!_ You would have thought being a teacher would mean she would speak properly in text messages and keep emoji use to a minimum but no, obviously not.


	11. Part Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo steps up her game and the Charming's come to terms with a realisation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we begin our wind-down. One more chapter and maybe an epilogue. Maybe. Thank you all for the reviews and Kudos. I appreciate them :D As always, enjoy!

 

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Regina took a deep breath and followed Henry into the diner. It was a brilliant Thursday morning, for all that the temperature was starting to drop and dew clung to blades of grass and a fog had lain over the lower parts of the town. Though she was expecting it she still felt a ghost hand run fingers down the back of her nape as the entire occupants of the diner turned to look at her. For such a busy morning the abrupt silence was almost deafening and the tension was high. Some of the customers were smiling at her and others were just looking at her in awe and others had their eyes narrowed as though trying to figure out what it was Romeo saw in her.

She was accustomed to eyes on her though, she was a Queen, and drew herself up and glided over to the booth where Snow White sat with Neal. There was a half drunk cup of some slimy, dark green looking smoothie in front of her with the crumbs of toast on an empty plate. She had Neal’s baby bag in the corner and her son in his carrier next to her. Thankfully he was chewing happily on a pacifier and he looked cute in his Superman onesie.

Henry had already slid into the booth opposite his grandmother and was grinning at her, an identical smile on her face as she looked over at her step-mother. She was almost bouncing out of her seat and her barely-contained energy was very noticeable in the quiet and still diner, all eyes on them.

“Regina!” She squealed and bounced from her seat with a glance to Neal to make sure he was okay with her abrupt and high pitched sound, and then threw herself at Regina for a hug. Eyes wide Regina could do nothing but brace herself for the onslaught and caught a whiff of baby powder and something fruity, maybe her shampoo? As Snow’s arms came around her.

She let out a slight oomph as the two collided and settled back on her heels. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it. I knewwwww it!” She cried into her ear and she winced as she was nearly deafened and gently disentangled herself, mindful, as always, of the eyes on her.

“Good morning, Snow,” she offered wryly as she took a step back and Snow bounced on her feet excited.

“Oh it is,” she agreed, grinning like it was Christmas morning. “I knew it!”

“So you’ve said,” Regina said dryly as she made her way to sit next to her smirking son with Snow following her like an excited puppy. “What is it, exactly, that you think you know?” She knew the answer, as did the rest of the diner who were straining to hear the conversation between the two. She needn’t have worried, Snow’s reply was loud enough to inform the entire room of their conversation.

“That you’re Juliette!” Her doe eyes were as wide as her smile and she couldn’t seem to keep still.

“Do you know who Romeo is? She was the one sending you presents? Oh, she did the arena for you? And the garden? She seems so lovely, I wish she would tell us who she is. Are you going to go on the radio tonight so she can sing to you?” Snow’s words fell over themselves as she rushed to get them out and even Henry seemed a bit confused as to the jumble of sounds that had been made and he was a pro at speaking quickly when he was excited.

Regina was pursuing a menu she had memorised and waited until Snow seemed fit to burst before calmly lowering it. “I think I’ll have the Eggs Benedict,” she turned to Henry. “What do you want, Dear? Your grandmother’s buying.” Henry grinned at his grandmother and looked at his mum.

“Big Breakfast, duh,” he added with a cheeky smile. “I’m a growing boy.” Regina just smiled at him fondly, one of her smiles where she could feel the love she had for him almost bursting from her heart. She felt a slight pang of nostalgia for her baby boy, but it was overwhelmed by pride in the young man he was.

The listening diners slowly went back to their meals but it was a quiet meal, with ears straining to the booth where the once feuding Royal’s sat.

Ruby’s long strides brought her to the table quickly enough and she whipped out her order pad while smiling at Regina. “Juliette, huh?”

“I’ll have the eggs benedict, a big breakfast, a hot chocolate, and a banana smoothie,” Regina ordered, not willing to engage with the gossiping waitress.

Ruby’s grin never faltered. “Aw, come on Regina! Give me something! Ya know, I was listening the night Romeo first sang….”

Regina ignored her in favour of asking Snow if she wanted anything else. Snow eyed her half empty smoothie and ordered another, and a bowl of fruit and yoghurt.

“You’re not paid to gossip!” Roared Granny from the kitchen. “Get back to work!” Ruby sighed loudly but obeyed her grandmother.

“Wine at my place tonight? Or wine and juice…. I have to get the gossip somehow,” she directed at Snow and Snow grinned and nodded eagerly.

“Wonderful. I love having my private life gossiped about,” Regina commented as Ruby strode away with their orders.

“It’s exciting,” Snow beamed and leant forward after checking again on Neal. “Tell. Me. Everything.”

Regina arched a brow. “Mh, no,” she said and clasped her fingers together and gazed innocently at her step-daughter.

Snow slumped for a moment. “Okay, but tell me something! Pleeeeeeeeeeease!”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “That look hasn’t worked on me in years, Snow. And the last person to use it was far cuter than you,” she cast a glance to Henry as she said it and he grinned.

“Aw… you’re no fun,” she settled back in her seat with a pout looking for all the world like she was a puppy that wanted to be petted.

Regina huffed loudly. “Fine,” she said curtly and Snow perked up. “I’ll answer one question.”

Snow’s eyes went wide and then her brow furrowed in thought. It took her until Ruby returned with their drinks and with Snow’s yoghurt and fruit for her to think of a question.

“What has Romeo got or done for you?”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. She’d thought Snow would go for an obvious question, one that Regina could answer simply, like did she know who Romeo was, or something, but this question showed some thought and insight. She didn’t like her former enemy knowing her so well and felt a flicker of annoyance that she was being read so well. It wouldn’t do for the townspeople to be able to predict her every move, she liked keeping them on their toes. It was good for them.

Henry sipped his hot chocolate, getting the foam along his lip as she considered her answer.

“The first thing was a letter, Snow. Then I received gifts; food, flowers, other things, as well as a note each day. After that I received bigger gifts.” She offered a delicate shrug as she cut into her egg and toast, not as willing to share the larger gifts as they were more personal and she didn’t want to share.

Snow’s eyes were wide and she was grinning with each new piece of the puzzle she was offered. She clapped her hands together with the level of excitement of a child.

“Have you received anything today?” The diner bell tinkered announcing the arrival of a new guest and Snow beamed as she saw the arrival.

“Emma!”

The Dark Saviour sauntered up to the booth and both Henry and Regina moved along to make space automatically. She was wearing jeans and a faded Queen T-shirt and a jacket over top. She was also wearing black boots and a beanie to hide her hair, it was one of the things she had hated about being the Dark One and she liked to hide it when she could, it made her feel normal. She was also carrying a long and relatively slender dark, silver box with light silver ribbons bowed on the top. There was a familiar piece of parchment tucked under the bow.

“Hey Mum,” Emma smiled at her mother and shifted to sit next to Regina, even as Snow made to move the carrier under the table and take Neal in her arms so she would be able to sit next to her.

“Regina. Henry,” a smile was offered to the two of them and then Emma handed the box to Regina and then placed it on the table, seeing as the Mayor’s hands were busy. Snow’s eyes were wide and she leant in her seat eagerly. She had her phone out in one hand and her smoothie in the other.

“This came for you.” She was smiling gently as she shifted to the side in the booth and lifted her arm up and over the back of it, to save space of course, not because she let her fingers rest against Regina’s coat.

The diner took a collective breath and many were partially out of their seats in an attempt to see what was in the box. The noise had died significantly and it were as quiet and as intent as a funeral.

Regina lowered phone and drink onto the table. She wiped her fingers on the napkin and then dabbed at her lips before finally exchanging the napkin for the box. She untied it gracefully and lifted the note first, casting a glance to her son and then focusing on the note.

_I know I said no more presents but consider this the last (maybe). Twelve red roses. Twelve days. I’ll deliver the last one in person, as me, the real me. This one is for your smile. I cannot tell you enough how I love it; in all of its faces. The politicians smile, the smile that says you are mentally dismembering someone, your exasperated smile, your ‘you idiot’ smile. I even love your brittle smile, the one you give when you’re shattering on the inside but staying strong. I especially love your ‘Henry smile’, when you’re looking at him with some much love you glow with it. I love your smile. I promise to always try to get you to, even if it is one of your ‘you idiot’ smiles._

Regina lowered the note, glancing to the blonde at her side thinking of the only person she could possibly smile at with a ‘you idiot’ smile, and then lifted the box open. She would have thought she would have gotten used to the way her insides curled and twirled each time she was given a note or gift but it still made the butterflies in her belly playful. As promised there was a single bright red rose resting against black craft paper.

Snow snatched the note and read it, mouthing the words and then gave a squeal. “Oh my gosh! That’s so cute! And she’s gonna tell you who she is!” There was a stirring of the diners and they put their heads together to discuss this latest piece of the story.

Regina could almost hear Emma rolling her eyes and couldn’t help her swift smile at the blonde as she tilted her head to the side and then reached for the rose.

It was a very photogenic rose. A dark green stem and a bright, blood red flower on the top with the petals falling open at the edges. Softly she ran her fingers along the petals marvelling at their softness, feeling a small smile on her lips. She glanced up to see Snow beaming at her and quickly forced her features into nonchalance and lowered the rose back into the box.

“Are you going to go on the radio?” Henry asked as he spooned the froth of his hot chocolate into his mouth. He had already eaten the marshmallows.

“Hey Ems!” Ruby glided over to their table with their cooked breakfasts. “Want anything? Snow’s paying, apparently.” She smiled and glanced to her best friend and Snow rolled her eyes but nodded gently at her daughter. They hadn’t spent that much time together since she had become the Dark One and she had, as henry put it, freaked out. As a family; David, Henry, Regina, Emma, Neal, and her, they had shared tea once or twice, but Emma was still cautious around her parents though they were all getting better. She offered the big breakfast to Henry and he reached across Regina to grab it with a ‘thanks’ before his cutlery flashed and he started to inhale the bacon, eggs, fancy toast, tomato’s, mushrooms, sausages, and hash-browns.

“Slow down,” Regina cautioned with a smile as she accepted her own breakfast and Emma’s arm shifted along the back of the chair, falling away as Regina shifted forward. “It’ll be hot.” As Henry had found.

“Gah! Igs hart!” He swallowed quickly and reached for his chocolate and Regina just shook her head fondly as Snow giggled and Emma smiled at him.

“You get your eating habits from your mother,” she grumbled playfully to him as she picked up her cutlery. Emma just beamed and gave a shrug, ducking her head slightly but keeping her eyes on the brunette.

“You’ll have whatever he’s having?” Ruby asked dryly as Henry cut into his eggs on toast.

Emma glanced to Regina’s plate and swiped a piece of bacon, much to the surprise of the table. Regina just glared at her as she smugly accepted a piece into her mouth.

“The French toast comes with bacon and banana, yeah?”

Ruby nodded. “Want a plate?”

Emma was smirking back at Regina as she ate her piece of bacon and the brunette rolled her eyes as she cut delicately into her egg, letting the gooey yellow yolk stain her bread.

“Yup, and I’ll have a hot chocolate. Thanks.”

Ruby wandered back to the kitchen and placed the order, grabbing a pot of coffee and going to the other tables.

“So, _are_ you going on the radio?” Emma asked and dunked her bacon in Regina’s egg.

“Miss Swan! Your manners are atrocious!” Regina battled her away from her breakfast with her knife and Emma just grinned at her. “And I’m not sure…” she gestured to her cell with her fork. “The station has been ringing me all morning, and I’ve received a half dozen texts and email notifications requesting the same; and not just from the station. The nerve of the peasants,” she growled before taking a bite.

“Hey! That’s my people you’re referring to,” Ruby handed Emma her hot chocolate with cinnamon and faux glared at the mayor. “So… is Romeo going to sing to you tonight?”

Regina huffed and lowered her cutlery. “She has done so every week night,” she pointed out before taking a sip of her smoothie. “But no, I’ll not be there tonight.” She hesitated. “Tomorrow. Maybe.”

“Eh,” Ruby walked off to take the order of another customer.

Snow was grinning. “In that case, do you want to some over for tea? All of you?”

Henry and Emma glanced to the woman between them. Regina looked at Emma a moment, reading her wishes in her eyes, before turning back to Snow and nodded. It was decided. The three would join David, Snow and Neal for tea. As she turned back to her breakfast she wondered how much peace and quiet she would be getting today; doubtfully very much. Romeo had better be worth it. But, she considered as she cast a glance to the beaming blonde whose breakfast was about to be delivered, maybe, if Romeo was who she thought she was- hoped she was- then she was certainly worth it.

 

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“What do you think?” David scratched his head and looked over at office Tod. The dark skinned man was crouched outside one of the lowered windows that framed Jefferson’s mansion.

“There were two people,” Tod said finally. “They came from those woods over there and broke in through this window after moving around the house. They left through the front door.”

David nodded in agreement. “That’s what I thought,” he said and peered in through the broken glass. It was going to be fixed today, according to Jefferson, though the mansion owner wasn’t fit to return to his home just yet. Regina had done a wonderful job of healing him though, and it wouldn’t be that long until he could come home. He was already itching to do so, according to Henry who heard it from Grace or Paige, either name she went by.

So far there had been no leads as to who had attacked the Mad-Hatter, and he said they had hit him from behind so he didn’t get the chance to see their faces and he couldn’t tell them much more than what they already knew. Two suspects, men mostly likely, had broken into Jefferson’s home and had assaulted him, leaving him badly wounded and for dead. Only the boy delivering his groceries that evening had stumbled upon the open door and had investigated and called the police. Apparently the Mad-Hatter wasn’t all that fond of going into town and had arranged his groceries delivered every Friday, especially for the weeks he was having his daughter. The delivery boy had come across the unconscious Jefferson and fled the house in fright, thinking the man was dead. When David and Tod arrived following an ambulance, they had though he was, a few hours later and he would have been.

There had been two murders in Storybrooke now, with a third attempted, and with all the ‘accidental’ deaths he was almost missing the time under the curse, at least no one had died. He was starting to feel the pressure, oddly Regina hadn’t been on his ass about the entire business, merely trusting he would handle it, and going over his reports.

It would have made him suspicious if he hadn’t known she had nothing to do with the deaths, only her confession that the murder of Lucy Tremaine had been to protect her made him confused. Was there two killers then? One who was trying to frame Regina, or incite a mod to come after her again, and one that was trying to keep her safe? He didn’t like to think of the latter. After his recent revelation, one he still hadn’t shared with Snow, he suspected who may have killed Lucy, but arresting his daughter wasn’t something he wanted to do.

Did Regina know that Emma loved her? Did Emma even know what her feelings were and what they meant? He was hoping to discuss it with the blonde tonight, but he did know how to approach it. He couldn’t just come out with ‘Oh hey, Emma. You’re in love with Regina. That’s cool, would you like the salt?’ That would not go down overly well. He didn’t even know his daughter was gay. But then there was Henry and she had that _thing_ with Hook, and he had heard about something going on with the huntsman, to his disgust. Maybe he could ask her about it, see if that got her to open up. Maybe he’d ask before desert, when she had had something to eat, she was like him in that way, always much more reasonable with her belly full.

“Huh?” He asked as he realised Tod had been trying to get his attention.

“Do we need to go over anything else?” They had come to photograph the scene the night of the attack and the morning after. Collecting statements, or a statement, from Jefferson, and trying to find witnesses. Nothing was stolen, as far as they could tell, Jefferson could elaborate when he came back from hospital, and the Hatter kept to himself mostly, so there were not many suspects. Of course, someone could be holding a grudge against him, it was likely, but why would they wait so long to strike? To hide behind the other murders happening in town?

“No,” he said eventually, realising that Tod was waiting for an answer. “Let’s finish up and go home.” He glanced at his watch and then at the slowly darkening sky. “I’ve got to get home before Snow sends out a search party. Have a good night, yeah?”

“You to.”

They exchanged goodbyes as they walked back down the driveway to where they had left their rides. David had the cruiser as he was coming off duty and the Sheriff was allowed to drive it to and from work, and Tod had come on his bike, a purring and gleaming beast of machinery. It was his pride and joy and David was pretty sure he was getting close to breaking the speed limit as he gunned down the drive and onto the road with a roar. He sighed longingly, he wanted one, only Snow would never let him get one and they couldn’t really afford it.

He drove home, thoughts on how he would approach Emma with what he knew, or thought he knew, but then that would make Emma the one serenading Regina through the radio… which was not something he wanted to get into, if he didn’t have to. He wasn’t a romantic, not really, for all that he had a reputation as Charming. Most of that involved proclaiming boldly that ‘I will always find you’ and swinging a sword around. Then he had the clothes and title as prince and then king and their story was made. He had never actually courted Snow, or anyone actually. Abbigail and he was set up and he a puppet on a string, and then he had been married. So, he really had no idea on how to court a woman, let alone a Queen. Which, Kudos to his kid! Girl had some serious game!

He pulled into the parking outside of the apartment and allowed the amber street lighting to guide him across the pavement and into the building, flashing his key-card at the door to unlock it. It had recently been upgraded and now only residents could come and go-any visitor had to be keyed in by a resident. It was a hassle sometimes, especially when you had your hands full, but it did make them feel a lot safer and their own doors had their own keys.

The scents coming through the closed door and onto the landing made his stomach growl. Snow had told him Regina, Emma, and Henry were coming over for tea and that she was roasting a chicken. By the smell of it he had arrived right on time and he eased his key into the lock and opened the door. Henry was sitting on the couch with a gaming console in his hands and an intense look of concentration on his face. Regina was cooing to baby Neal in her arms, and Emma was standing at the bench with glass of something in her hand. What made him pause though was how she was _intense_ she was gazing at the scene while Snow was casting her concerned glances from the other side of the bench.

“David!” Snow turned from where she was cutting into the chicken. “Right on time,” she was smiling at him, her special David-smile, where her eyes were lit with love and he felt something warm settle in his chest. He was home.

Regina glanced over at him and then went back to playing with Neal’s little hands and his son gave a sharp squeal of joy. Henry looked up from his game, “Hey Grandpa,” and went back to whatever monster he was fighting immediately, fingers tapping furiously at the buttons.

Emma tore herself from watching Regina cuddle her little brother and grunted a greeting to him. “Learn anything from Jefferson?”

He left his coat near the door and strode over to give Snow a greeting kiss, “smells good.”

“Nothing he hadn’t already said,” he replied as he walked past his son, stroked his head, and then disappeared behind the door to their bedroom. He removed his firearm and badge and left them in the locked drawer as he kicked off his boots.

“We still don’t know who is responsible for the attack,” he padded back into the living area and accepted his son from Regina. Neal was wearing a blue jumpsuit with grey elephants on it and he looked adorable.

Emma grunted again but seemed more open as Regina walked past her and hovered at her shoulder as she took her glass of wine from the bench. She remained leaning against the bench while Snow covered the chicken with foil and saw to the vegetables.

“Would you mind making a gravy?” This was directed at Charming but Regina lowered her glass and moved around the kitchen as though she owned it.

“I’ll do it.”

Snow smiled at her gratefully and Emma perked up, downing her bottle of what he saw was root beer. He settled half onto a bar stool as his daughter moved into the kitchen, passing Snow as she carried some steaming vegetables to the table. Because he was looking for it, and because of the angle he sat, he was able to see Emma placed her hand at Regina’s lower back as she peered over her shoulder and into the roasting dish where Regina was mixing the gravy. He quickly cast a look at Snow, who was too occupied with the table to notice, and then looked back at the two.

Regina had shifted her body to the side becoming more receptive to the touch and Emma shifted around her, orbiting to the side as Regina moved to the opposite counter, before falling back into her gravitational pull. She remained close to her side as Regina sorted the gravy into a gravy jug and then saw the roasting dish to the sink, letting it soak. Emma would fall away as Regina moved around her and then settled back into her position next to her, a half step behind her and to the side; protective, watching.

“Here,” Regina directed Emma to the chicken and the blonde immediately picked it up and followed Regina over to the table, placing the meat where she was directed. Snow had already placed the rest of the vegetables and the salad on the table and there was a coasted for the gravy.

“Go wash up, Kid,” Emma instructed and David slid from the stool as Henry launched himself to his feet and bounded for the bathroom, very interested in filling his stomach as soon as possible. He saw to Neal and then got himself ready for dinner, aware of his growling belly.

The family settled; with a juice for Henry, a water for Snow, a root-beer for Emma, a refill to her wine for Regina, and an ice cold beer which he readily cracked open.

“How was your day?” Snow asked as she started to serve herself roast potatoes. “Get anything else?” She asked innocently as she handed the tongs to Henry and Regina frowned at the disregard for her privacy.

“No, Snow,” she bit back, though with less bite than she usually had and David blinked in confusion.

“Gift?”

“Grandpa,” Henry sighed as he begrudgingly added a serving of greens to his plate under the watchful eye of his mother. “You _know_ Mum is Juliet…” He waited for David’s nod to continue while Emma picked at a chicken drumstick with disinterest. Snow’s scream of excitement had woken Neal and the two had spent the next half hour trying to calm him, which had been left to David as Snow was bouncing around the room squealing with joy. But it did make sense, when he thought about it at length. Regina was everything Romeo thought she was, she just didn’t let everyone see it. “Then you know Romeo keeps on sending her stuff.” David nodded again, not wanting to tell Henry that he knew about the gifts, all of Storybrooke should by now, it was all anyone was talking about, but that he just wanted to know what it was she had received today.

“She sent her a rose,” Emma said as she tilted her root-beer back.

Henry glared and groaned. “Emma.”

She shrugged him off though forced her features to look apologetic at Regina’s disapproving look. “Sorry kid, but you would have got there….at Christmas.”

Henry shook his head but turned back to his grandfather. “Yeah. She got a rose and Romeo’s gonna send her eleven more and then give the last one in person!”

Regina was nibbling on some cooked carrot while the conversation carried on without her input, obviously uncomfortable with the discussion but not willing to interrupt her son.

“Oh, Mum!”

Regina and Emma glanced up in unison and Emma went back to her chicken with lowered eyes.

“Are you going on the radio tomorrow?”

Snow paused in her chewing and David took a sip of his beer while Regina lowered her cutlery. She took a delicate sip of her wine before folding her hands out of sight under the table top. Emma left her knife on her plate and began to stab at her potatoes while leaning her elbow on the table.

“I am,” Regina said at length, though shifted uncomfortably at the thought. “The station has been emailing and ringing me all day and I had to send a strongly worded email to tell them to stop so I could get back to work.” She paused and looked nostalgic. “It didn’t work. Evidently my reputation has taken a hit since this began.” There was a crease to her brow and then she went still before relaxing. Emma’s left shoulder was dropped a little and she was leaning forward as she picked at her cut meat. David’s eyes narrowed.

Regina’s hands came back up on the table and Emma straightened, taking her cutlery properly and his suspicions increased.

“Eventually I agreed to make them leave me alone,” she didn’t sound too happy about it, but sometimes that was just how Regina sounded. The only person she was ever happy to be around was Henry, though recently that had included Emma as well.

“Everyone at school was talking about it,” Henry took a large piece of chicken, far too big for his mouth and was forced to be silent for a moment while he chewed it out.

“Is that so?” There was a chill to Regina’s voice and David supressed a shiver as he dug into his chicken and gravy- the gravy was amazing.

Henry nodded eagerly as he quickly swallowed, knowing he would be reprimanded for speaking with his mouthful.

“Yup, he said as he swallowed. “They kept on asking me if I knew who Romeo was, and wanted to know what she’d gotten you.” His energy faded for a moment. ‘Course there were some people coming up to me and saying mean things about you….”

Regina’s eyes flashed and she leant forward and next to her Emma bristled. “Like?”

Henry shrugged, though some of his appetite seemed to have vanished. “I dunno. Just how you’re gonna burn in hell for being a dyke and stuff.”

Emma’s low growl was hidden by Regina’s bark of laughter, though David was close enough to hear it as he was sitting next to her.

“That’s fitting,” she almost snorted in laughter. “Ignore them Henry, their words mean nothing to me,” she said forcefully. “But if you are feeling affected I can ask your teachers to talk to your classmates about it?”

“No!” Henry shook his head quickly and to their surprise he was blushing a little.

“Henry,” Regina cautioned and it was such a ‘mum voice’ that David and Snow shared a wince in sympathy. There would be no arguing with that tone of voice though Henry shook his head quickly again.

“No. It’s fine mum, really. They’re just stupid kids. I don’t care who you slee-love,” he changed hastily.

Regina settled back in her seat but nodded her agreement. “Alright, but if you want to come and talk to me about it, I will be here, as will your mother and your grandparents,” she glanced at each of them in turn, lingering on Emma a moment longer than the others.

Henry nodded. “What’s for dessert?”

“Apple crumble!” Emma beamed as she took a sip of her root beer. “And vanilla ice-cream,” she added with a sneer.

“Hey! What’s wrong with vanilla? It goes best with apple crumble,” Regina looked offended and Emma quickly shook her head.

“Nothing. It’s just so...boring…”

“Vanilla is the pinnacle of ice-cream,” Regina countered sharply. “It goes with everything.”

“Sure it does,” Emma offered, lifting her hands to convey her peace.

Regina just narrowed her eyes and Snow interrupted, sensing an argument.

“What have you been doing since we saw you last, Honey?”

“You saw me this morning,” Emma drawled and leant back in her chair, finally finishing her tea and David fought the urge to reprimand her for speaking to her mother in such a tone.

“Yes,” Snow agreed nervously, wondering if she was going to set her daughter off. They had been getting better after their talks, but Snow never seemed to know the right thing to say. “I’m just wondering what you do during the day while Regina is at work and Henry’s at school.”

“Stuff,” Emma replied shortly, suspicious as to Snow’s motives. One could never be certain with her mother.

“I want you to return to work as soon as you feel you are ready,” Regina said as she lowered her cutlery on her plate, signalling she was finished. She reached for her glass and rolled the liquid for a moment. “I want my Sheriff back.”

David’s air rushed from his lungs and he ignored the slight to him in favour of watching how his daughter’s eyes widened.

“Your Sheriff?” She enquired with a raised brow, though David sensed there was something else layered behind her words.

“Yes. My sheriff.” Regina turned down the table to look at David. “No offense, David. You will also have to be demoted.” She didn’t sound that apologetic about that but he let that roll over him in favour of looking at how there was a light colouring to Emma’s pale, pale cheeks and she had ducked her head slightly, but there was a curl to her lips.

He shrugged in reply and sighed happily as he finished his meal.

“You weren’t voted in,” she continued apologetically, “and the position _has_ already been taken.”

Emma grinned at him suddenly. “I’m your boss,” she said as though it had just occurred to her and a malicious smirk lifted her lips further. “Yes! I get to give you all of the paperwork!”

“Please…no,” Regina lifted her hand as Henry started to clear the table. “Your handwriting is atrocious,” she said to the woman at her side. “Though better than that chicken scratch your father calls writing.”

She glared across Emma over at David and he shrugged and lifted his beer to his lips. “Sorry, Emma,” his grin grew as hers faded. “But at least you can get me to deliver them,” he added, a glimmer of thought crossing his mind. “You always said that was the worst part.”

“That because Regina made me read them and do them all over again!” Which was true and though she complained, loudly, about having to spend time with the Mayor and re-write all of her reports to Regina’s standards. David was certain that it was her favourite part of the week and that she sometimes screwed them on purpose just to spend time with Regina, which, now that he thought about it, made complete sense. If Emma was in love with Regina, like he was 99% sure she was, then she would look to spend as much time with her as possible, even under the guise of work, because Regina wouldn’t kick her out of her office for that.

Their evening progressed along much of the same thread; Regina, goading both Snow and Charming, Henry devouring his desert and then having seconds, Emma watching Regina with puppy-eyes, and Snow remaining oblivious to it while he catalogued every touch, action, and word. By the time Henry, Regina, and Emma left he was 99.9% certain Emma loved Regina, and had a plan to put into motion come nine thirty.

His night went by with washing and drying the dishes while Snow saw to Neal and then they both sat down in front of the television while Neal sat between them.

“David,” Snow said suddenly in a voice that heralded how serious her next words were going to be. “I think Emma might be gay.” He nearly choked on his own spit and turned his body to face his wife.

“What?” He coughed a little and she sighed at him.

“I think Emma’s gay,” she repeated patiently.

“Oh-kay? What makes you think that?” He coughed a little more and then cleared his throat, shifting a little on the couch. Sometimes Snow could be oblivious but other times she was remarkably insightful and this appeared to be one of those times. He wondered if she had realised about Emma loving Regina, but thought that could wait until she had explained why she thought their daughter was gay.

“The way she dresses. Flannel. Jeans. Beanies.”

“That’s….stereotyping,” David offered. “Lots of people were flannel. It’s Maine. _I_ wear flannel.”

Snow shot him a knowing look. “The way she stands.”

“Oh…kay? So, she stands like a lesbian? Right, okay,” he nodded to agree with her and she rolled her eyes at him.

“She loves that female prison show on Netflix, that one with that Dr and detective, and that Canadian one about those fairies.”

“So did Katherine,” David pointed out and then winced, maybe bringing the ex-wife into it wasn’t very smart. “It’s a good show. Bo was hot.” He smiled and shrugged apologetically and Snow rolled her eyes again.

“Yes, yes. I know. Emma talked about that a lot when she first moved to town.”

“So…that’s all you have?”

“No,” Snow shot back and began to list them on her fingers. “Clothes. Posture. Shows. She hasn’t dated anyone since she got here and not for a lack of suiters, especially once the curse broke.”

“Graham. Baelfire. Hook.”

Snow’s eyes narrowed like they did when she was gearing up for a verbal fight. It was a world stopping look, especially when it wasn’t directed at him. Though as it was now it made him want to curl up into himself a little, she had definitely taken that look off Regina.

“Graham wasn’t a thing. I asked and she said she wasn’t interested and he kissed her.”

David felt anger smoulder in his belly. The Huntsman did have a reputation in the Enchanted Forest, and not a good one, and the thought of him daring to touch his baby girl made his temper flare.

“Neal was over since he left her in prison,” Snow continued, still holding her finger of the dating pool. “And Hook is someone she is hiding behind because she’s confused and doesn’t want to tell us. He was a safe choice.”

David blinked. “Right. Bicyc-sexuality is a thing?” He didn’t really know all the modern words for other sexualities but after coming to the realisation that maybe Emma felt something more than friendly towards Regina he had looked it up. Of course, he then had to erase his search history and may have been scared a little by the pictures and videos that had come up once or twice. Eventually he had come across a few sights that helpfully explained things to him using circle graphs and foreign terms. The word for liking the two was bye-something. Bicycle something? Bye-something? Bisexual. That was it!

Snow’s doe eyes flashed as she blinked. “Yes? I’m using gay as a-a term,” she said as she waved her hand through the air in an arc.

“Anyway,” she emphasised as she crossed off her final finger. “Have you seen the way she looks at Reg-girls?”

“Noooo?” His voice rose to a question at the end.

“How does she look at girls?” He was a little confused here. He had never really noticed Emma looking at any girl other than Regina, so maybe Snow could shed a little light on it for him. He certainly didn’t want to think of his baby being interested in dating anyone, let alone catching her look at anyone in a friendly way.

“She looks at her-them like, like they are-are her-“

“Her everything? Her eyes light up and soften at the same time? Like she hung the stars? Like she’d throw herself in front of a bullet for her?” David interrupted, finally seeing that Snow did know, or suspected, and wanting to show her he knew. Her eyes widened comically as he continued to list the ways Emma looked at Regina. Some of them he never wanted to think of again, especially the ones where she looked down Regina’s shirts and stared at her ass, but he muscled through it.

“Like she loves her?” He finished quietly and Snow had brought her hand up to her mouth in wonder.

“You know? How? When?” She asked quietly.

“Know that Emma’s in love with Regina?” He finally voiced it out-loud and let the magnitude of his words float in the air. Snow gasped and then nodded. “You see it to?”

“I saw them when I went over to talk to Regina. They way Emma looked after her… You?”

“I knew she wasn’t just into men as soon as she came to town. It was obvious. But I figured it was Regina when she sacrificed herself to the Dagger for her.”

David gaped. “That was months ago! Why didn’t you say anything?”

Snow snorted. “Say what, David? Oh hey, honey. Guess what? Our daughter is in love with my step-mother, you know, the Evil Queen? The woman who killed and tortured for years to separate and to try to kill us? Oh, and would you like steak or chicken tonight for tea?”

David was pretty sure her sarcasm was learnt from the best there was, something else he had Regina to thank for. “I wouldn’t have freaked out! I’m not freaking out!”

Snow rolled her eyes again and shot him a look that he swore belonged on Regina’s features not his wife’s. “So what was that night a few weeks ago when you came home and drank an entire box of beer and then went to the shooting range the next day and didn’t come home until late?” David winced at the memory. So maybe he hadn’t handled the revelation all that well, but it wasn’t every day you learned that your daughter, your precious baby girl, was in love with a mass-murder, former Evil Queen, and former mortal enemy.

He rolled his shoulders and gave a begrudging nod. “Okay, so I could have handled that better. But it was a shock, okay!”

Snow rested her hand on his forearm. “How are you with it now?” She asked gently and he wondered when he she became the logical one when it came to Regina and everything that came with it. Usually it was him, or he liked to think it was.

“With her being gay, er, bisexual? Or with her in love with Regina?”

Snow frowned reproachfully at him. “Emma should tell us what she is… and both?”

David slumped in the couch and thought about it, really, really thought about it. Snow was bouncing Neal on her lap when he finally answered the question. “I’m okay….. I guess….. I mean- she’s our daughter! We have to love all of her! We do love all of her! As long as she has love in her life I don’t care if they’re a peasant or a prince. Princess…” He thought for a moment. “Queen,” his brow furrowed, this could get confusing.

“As for Regina… we have our history but…I guess I’ve seen how she loves and…it would be a privilege for any member of our family to be loved by her…let alone two.” He knew he had said the right thing when Snow just gazed at him, smiling with her eyes and conveying every ounce of her love for him through them. A warmth settled in his chest and he smiled back at her.

“I love you,” she said sweetly and his grin broadened. Then her eyes narrowed as they did when she was in thought. “So what should be do?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly, knowing how Snow would go to Regina or Emma or both and tell them of her suspicions and that wouldn’t be wise. Both women were extraordinary, but could be more than stubborn when it came to their feelings.

“But David! We can’t just let them be friends! They belong together!”

“We don’t even know how Regina feels!” He protested and shook his head. “Besides, we need to let Emma do this on her own. We can’t interfere, she would hate us for it, and we just got to a good place.”

Snow faltered and then slumped slightly, no doubt remembering the few months when Emma had refused to speak to them and the conversations they had had once she had come back to them. She didn’t want to go back to that, no parent would, and he hoped his caution would stay her hand. Eventually she saw reason and nodded, though she didn’t seem entirely too pleased about it, a pout he recognised as belonging to Henry and his daughter on her lips. “Fine… you’re right,” she sighed loudly.

“We won’t say anything… but we need to let Emma know we support her,” her abrupt change of demeanour made him start. He would like to say he was used to his wife’s swift mood changes, but they did take getting used to and this was rather sudden with no triggers.

“Okay…. How do you wanna do that?”

Suddenly animated she was up off the couch and plopped Neal in his lap before bounding over to their room. “I’ve been reading,” she said as she returned with her Kindle and a large note pad. “I’ve gone through all of these coming out stories, or parents of gay children, and other L.G.B…um, T, um… rainbow stories!”

She curled up on the other side of the couch and then proceeded to read all of the things she had learnt and noted down. She had even highlighted important points and had colour-coded them in ranking of importance. David spent the rest of his evening listening to his True Love discussing the stories, some of them heart-breaking, and others of them leaving him aching for what his daughter must be feeling, having to hide a part of her self. His plans to confront Emma, rather to approach her, were long forgotten.

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

“Alllll right!” Jeremy Sanders exclaimed into the microphone and Regina barely concealed her eye-roll. “It’s that time of night again! Now, as promised we have Regina Mills here to discuss the revelation on Wednesday night! Hi, Madam Mayor! Welcome to _Jammin’ with Jeremy_! It’s great to have you here!”

She was ready to tear his tongue out and stitch his lips together with a thorn and wire. “Hello, Jeremy,” she offered stiffly and flashed her politicians smile, though it could have been a little pained but Jeremy didn’t seem to notice.

“Right! Now, we have a few questions before Romeo is going to ring in. I hope that’s alright?”

Regina nodded, hearing her heart-beat thud traitorously in her ears beneath the head-set conveying her nervousness.

“Okay, to start with. When did you find out you were Juliet?”

Regina tilted her head in thought and swallowed before answering. “Well….. one of my gifts was basically a confession.”

“Ah, I see. And someone had been sending you gifts for a while, yeah?”

“That is correct,” she said and inwardly cursed her weakness for allowing herself to be in this position in the first place. She did not like sharing the details of her personal life publically, and especially not on such a popular platform. In the chair in the corner her silent son rolled his eyes and made a rolling gesture with his wrists, trying to get her to elaborate. She frowned at him but obeyed. “I did not know who they were from and I wasn’t listening to the radio.”

“Aw, so you’re not a fan of the show? I’m wounded,” Jeremy pouted dramatically and quickly straightened when she glared at him. He cleared his throat and she allowed a small smile of satisfaction at his visible fear.

“So, when did you start to listen?”

“I don’t listen to the radio,” Regina said and let her ire leak into her voice. “With the gift Romeo confessed. I only knew of her escapades through brief readings of the Mirror.”

“Okay, did you know or suspect she was singing about you?”

What a foolish question. Of course she hadn’t, no one would say such sweet things about her. No one would be willing to proclaim their love for her so boldly. No one knew her, she had made sure of that with the burning of one village to many. “No,” she replied quietly, not willing to let Jeremy see that his words had struck a nerve, even though she doubted he even knew it.

Jeremy continued to ask her a few more questions and then cut to an add break.

After that Jeremy started with the questions again, asking some for the audience and allowing them to ring in and ask her questions. For the most part they were kind, but one or two had some cutting comments to make and Jeremy quickly cut them off.

“Don’t bother, Jeremy,” her voice was as hard as frozen steel. “I am more than willing to let your listeners say what they think of me, but I would ask for their names first. Unless…. “She felt her lips curl maliciously. Some of the comments had hurt-mostly about how she wasn’t what Romeo thought she was, and how she didn’t deserve someone with a heart like hers. “They are too afraid to tell me what they think to my face?” In the corner Henry sighed and shook his head at her, though he too hadn’t liked what some of the people had to say about his mum. He had been able to read over Jeremy’s shoulder some of the text messages and some of them weren’t very nice. Jeremy had gone very still in his seat at the booth and his fingers were shaking slightly as he pulled back from the soundboard.

“Er, right. Okay. Anyway, it’s nearly time for Romeo to ring in, so Romeo, if you’re there-of course your there- give us a call!” He flicked a switch and a song began to play. An awkward silence took over the small studio and Henry bobbed along to the beat, tapping his foot in time to the thud of some sort of drum.

Regina remained calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside she was a mess. Her belly was curling with anticipation and a small bit of fear. Last night’s song had been _Just the way you are_ , by Bruno Mars and had been a sweet ending to an emotional day. Today had been longer, oddly, only because she hadn’t received her rose as promised and as they day had grown longer she had felt increasingly anxious. No small part of her was still afraid that this was a joke and that Romeo wouldn’t sing tonight, or turn out to be a dwarf or something, teaching her a cruel lesson for her own less-than-merciful past.

“Okay! Now!” Jeremy’s excitement was at its peak, and even Henry was leaning forward in anticipation. “Romeo, give us a ring!” The airwaves echoed with his demand and then he played another song.

“Are you ready?” He asked Regina friendlily, rubbing his hands together in glee and she raised a brow at him, she didn’t realise they were friends. She was certain she looked foolish with two great big ear phones stuck to each side of her head, but she did get her point across. Jeremy flinched back into his seat and pointedly turned his attention to his call and text machine.

The song went by far too quickly and before she knew it Jeremy was flicking the ‘On Air’ switch back on and welcoming the listeners back.

Regina was fairly certain the liquid from her mouth had gone to her hands and she rubbed them discreetly on her slacks as Jeremy flicked the button to let Romeo talk. “All right, Romeo! You’re on air! Serenade your girl!”

There was nothing but static.

“Romeo?” Jeremy cast a glance to Regina as her eyes fluttered closed and she broke on the inside. He was a bit confused. Romeo had rung up as she always had, but now she wasn’t speaking.

“Romeo? You there?” Silence came back to him and Regina felt her heart sink. There was a crack at the door and her eyes flew open.

“Sorry I’m late,” Romeo was apologetic as she stepped into the studio. “Couldn’t find a park.”

She was wearing black jeans, boots and a grey plaid shirt. She also had a hoodie on under the flannel and had the hood up covering her hair and she had the same glamour on her face that she had stolen from Gold’s shop. There was a guitar in her hand and a box tucked under her other arm.

“R-romeo?” Jeremy gasped and flicked the switch to turn off the call. A burst of static raced down the airwaves.

“Folks….Romeo is in studio…” Jeremy flicked his fingers at one of the glass walls. “Mike, change the camera!” The man behind the glass window obeyed and launched himself into the room, gunning for the video camera and twisting it to face Romeo.

“Hi,” she waved awkwardly and then looked around. “Can I set up my guitar over there?”

Jeremy could only nod wordlessly.

“Here.” Romeo tossed the guitar case at Mike, who scrambled from around the camera to grab it. “Set this up.” Her eyes were solely on Regina, or she thought they were, one couldn’t tell with the glamour she was using. The producer quickly obeyed, pulling a cord out from somewhere and connecting it to the battered guitar. He was quick to get a stool and a microphone as well.

“Um, we’re going to cut to an add break while we get Romeo set up for a live performance in studio, and then we’ll get right to it!” Jeremy flicked a few buttons and sat back in his seat in shock, removing his head-set and letting it hand around his neck.

“Wow,” he whispered in awe. “Romeo!” The woman turned to face him and gave him a passing over before returning her attention back to the Mayor. He instantly felt insignificant but that didn’t matter. Romeo was here, in his studio! About to perform _live_ on his show! Ratings would go through the roof!

“Regina.” There was a smile in her voice, wonder too. The Queen was sitting straight in her wheelie chair, though her head was tilted to the side as the cord connecting her headset kept her close.

“Henry.” Romeo turned her head to acknowledge the grinning teenager in the corner with a nod.

“Hi Romeo!” He beamed back at her, but her attention was already on back on his mother.

Jeremy quickly helped Mike set up the equipment, making sure to face the camera with an ‘Oh my god!’ while the two women looked at each other.

“Okay,” he ran around the booth to his seat and began to flick some buttons. “We’re ready.” The button for ‘live’ flicked on.

“Okay, we are back in studio and Romeo is about to sing! Tune in to the website to see the live stream! But if you miss it, don’t worry! We’ll have an edited version up later.”

Romeo took a few steps forward and reached out gently, slowly. Regina watched her warily but with a carefully neutral expression. Two pale hands reached up and gently eased the headset from her hair, making sure that no strands were caught, before lowering it onto the desk in front of her. Regina’s eyes had narrowed and then glanced up, eyes searching the faceless face for some answer.

“Hi,” she whispered and then spun and strode quickly over to the corner where there was a stool, a mic stand, and Mike with her guitar. She left her long rectangular box on the floor near her guitar case and slid the instrument over her shoulders.

Long, pale fingers moved over the cords. “I’m gonna be here for you baby. I’ll be a (wo)man of my word. Speak the language in a voice that you haven’t heard. I wanna sleep with you forever. I wanna die in your arms.” Regina sighed quietly and leant back in her chair, relaxing her rigid posture but maintaining her carefully neutral expression as Romeo continued the song. Jeremy, Mike, and Henry were all equally silent, listening in awe as Romeo sung her love to Regina.

Eventually she crooned out the last words and let the cords fade into nothing, the echo of her love ringing out in the studio and on the airwaves. “Keith Urban. _Making memories of us_ ,” she told them the name of the song as the final note faded.

Romeo rose fluidly, pulling the guitar strap over her head and flicking her fingers at it. “Pack it,” she instructed and ducked down to get her box as Mike hurriedly emerged from behind the video camera and obeyed. He and Jeremy had wordlessly decided to adhere to Romeo’s requests to keep her happy. She might give them an interview, or at least not destroy the place. They had learnt not to annoy the woman very early on, they didn’t want anything to happen to their homes or cars or work place if she got mad.

Holding the box in her left hand she approached Regina, who had her head tilted back as she came forward. She halted and offered the woman she loved her hand, rolling her wrist over gently in an elegant movement that surely belonged to a Prince offering the world to a Princess in a great masterpiece than to a hooded woman in a small radio studio.

Regina looked at the hand a moment and then accepted it, allowing herself to be guided gracefully to her feet.

Eyes locked Romeo ducked her head and kissed Regina’s fingers before rising slowly. “Sorry,” she didn’t sound sorry. “Couldn’t resist.” She was smiling, it was obvious in her voice.

“What did I tell you last time?” Regina asked dryly, though there was a layer of amusement to her tone.

Romeo shrugged and offered her the box instead. Slender fingers quickly undid the bow and slid the rose from the box, the note tucked between her fingers. “To be fair…” Romeo waited until Regina looked up from the rose before continuing. “You never said I _couldn’t_ kiss you.”

Regina shifted back slightly and there was a curl to her lips, a warmth to her eyes she couldn’t contain. “I think I did,” she countered, she inwardly cursed as her heart fluttered traitorously in her chest. Her throat was dry and there was a warmth uncoiling in her belly and settling deeper as she remembered the promise Romeo had spoken.

“We’ll discuss it over dinner,” Romeo continued boldly and Regina raised a brow in question. Romeo turned to look at Henry. “If your son will allow it?”

Henry was wide-eyed but he nodded eagerly before clearing his throat and trying to still his expression. “I’m sure we can come to some arrangement,” he said as regally as he could, but his grin couldn’t be contained. Mike and Jeremy were still frozen in silence and the conversation was still being played through the radio.

“I’ll arrange a meeting with your grandfather present,” Romeo turned back to Regina. “If that is acceptable, My Queen?” Regina had faltered at the thought of Henry meeting with a stranger, who had unknown magic, but instantly felt relief and affection well up at Romeo’s thoughtfulness. She knew that Regina wouldn’t allow it if she couldn’t be guaranteed Henry’s wellbeing. “I’ll even go as me, if that would ease your fears.”

Regina cleared her throat quietly. “It would.”

“Excellent.” Romeo raised the hand to her lips once again. “My Queen.” She bowed over her hand and then lifted her other arm. The guitar case came soaring through the air and landed easily in her hand. Regina didn’t shift at the magic, but Henry, Mike and Jeremy did.

She nodded once to Henry and then looked at Jeremy. “I will no longer sing for you, my words are for Regina and Regina alone.” She gave another bow and then was out the door and down the hallway before they could move to follow her. Her final words were left in the room and faintly on the air waves.

 

 

 

 


	12. Part Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma comes clean and Regina comes to a decision.

PART TWELVE

 

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

“Wanna talk about it?”

Emma glanced up from where she was lying on the couch and let her phone flop onto the cushion next to her.

She grunted in reply. “Hook wants me to meet him tomorrow, said I owed him.” Her lips curled into a sneer. “I don’t owe him anything.” She hesitated and then inclined her head. “Though I probably should hear what he has to say… we didn’t end that well…”

“You don’t owe him anything,” Regina snarled from where she was seated at her desk. “Even if you had to be harsh to get him to understand you were no longer together.”

Emma grunted again.

“If you insist of making sounds like a Neanderthal I won’t feed you for lunch,” Regina cautioned and Emma tilted her head back over the arm rest to grin at the Mayor. “I’ll make you hunt it down yourself.”

“But I saw you pack it,” she might have been pouting. “It looked so good!”

She waved her arm around as she saw Regina’s satisfied grin upside down. “You can’t just hang that in front of me and then snatch it away! That’s not fair!”

“What’s not fair, _Sheriff_ ,” Regina said pointedly and Emma grinned at the title, “is my having to re-read your atrocious reports when I could be doing other things.” She shuffled her latest stack of paperwork pointedly.

“Winter is coming,” Emma offered dramatically with a grin, channelling her inner narrator.

“Winter _is_ coming,” Regina replied tartly and picked a piece of paper to show Emma.

“Malcom Wesley is complaining about having to store the sand and ice boxes on his front lawn,” she turned it back to her and read through it. “He says its…‘a disgrace to his neighbourhood and house to have such large, ungainly, ugly, looking things on his lawn’ and demands they be removed immediately….preferably to his next door neighbour who, and I quote, ‘has won Christmas Decorator of the year for the past thirty years and doesn’t need to win this year!”

She lowered the complaint and leant back in her chair. “I mean honestly!”

Emma was giggling on the couch and straightened, looking at her own paperwork guiltily. “At least you did have to climb a bloody tree to rescue a cat!”

“Again,” Regina pointed out as she signed something and filed it.

“Argh, yes, again.”

“That’s twice this week,” Regina said as she moved to the next piece of paper.

“I don’t see Dad having to recue cats,” she whined and picked up her pen.

“No, he gets to chase Pongo.” She didn’t need to look over to the Mayor to see her smirking at the misfortune of her sheriff.

“Oh, ha, ha, ha,” Emma grumbled. “At least that’s,-that’s- athletic! How is getting stuck-I mean… how is climbing a tree athletic?” She asked, hoping the sharp brunette didn’t notice her slip up. So she may have gotten stuck this morning which was why she had stomped into the Mayor’s office with her paperwork tucked under her arm a few hours earlier than normal.

“Indeed.” She knew she was in trouble as Regina drawled out, “How _is_ getting stuck in a tree athletic?”

“Shut up,” she groaned and leant back on the couch, peering out of one eye at her friend. “Dad tell you?”

Regina lifted her head and smiled and Emma was caught. “No… Mrs Benton rang me. She was….concerned,” she was smiling with just her eyes now. “She thought that while you did a marvellous job of saving Mr. Whiskers, you did end up falling from her tree and might need to be checked out.”

“Her biscuits were awful,” Emma grumbled and clicked her pen on and back off, fascinated with how the tip would appear and vanished with each click. “I wouldn’t call them a reward.”

She perked up with her next thought. “You should reward me!”

There was a moments silence and she flushed.

“And how, exactly, would you propose I do that?” Was it her or was it suddenly hot in here? Regina’s voice oozed seduction and she constantly made most of the male population nervous and some of the female with her brazen sexuality. Who was she kidding, she was always this clumsy, awkward puppy around Regina, it was a wonder the whole town didn’t know how she felt just yet.

“Food,” she said, swallowing her desire and flashing what she hoped was a winning smile at Regina.

Regina settled back in her chair and crossed her legs and Emma’s attention was caught, her throat bobbing as her mouth went dry. “Yes, well. The way to your heart _is_ through your stomach.”

“Then you’re definitely in the lead for it,” Emma smirked and ducked her shoulder. The blatant flirting was something new, not the flirting, but it had always had an undercurrent and was never open acknowledged. But over the past few weeks they had been getting bolder with it, and Emma was loving every moment of it, especially when she managed to fluster the brunette as she did now.

“Yes, well,” Regina moistened her lips and Emma watched her lips intently. “I can’t say that that is difficult.”

“Hey!” She protested. “I have standards.”

“Sure, Dear,” Regina went back to her work.

“Fine,” she was sure she was pouting now, and there was a shift inside her-the Darkness stretching. “I’ll just go to Granny’s for lunch then.”

“Don’t you dare,” Regina’s head shot up and her eyes widened. “I didn’t make us both lunch for you to run off and have something half as healthy and half as good. You will stay here with me. Stay here and eat it with me,” she nodded slightly and then went back to her work, a slight flush to her cheeks.

It was lovely, Emma thought as she grinned happily and went back to her own reports. Regina was the prettiest girl in the whole-wide-world, and she was even prettier when she was blushing and smiling nervously. She wondered how she would smile, how she would react when Emma finally presented her, her final rose.

She had delivered her roses and notes in person for the last two weeks, Monday to Friday, and had taken Regina out to dinner one night, with David kindly offering to take Henry on the Wednesday of last week so Regina could have some alone time. Of course it was only on the afternoon when he came to pick him up from the mansion that she realised he knew who she was, and that he was okay with it. She had nearly blurted out the entire thing, but had worked very hard and admirably to maintain her composure, telling Henry to enjoy her boys night and telling Regina to have a great night when she left for her date. To everyone’s knowledge she would be staying alone in the mansion that night.

Regina had been…excited in a way neither Henry nor anyone else had seen when she had received the rose on the Tuesday with a sweet message and also directions for when and where to go for their date. She had though immediately been concerned for Henry and demanded to know if he had met Romeo and if he was alright. Henry had to assure her that he hadn’t met Romeo and had only received a text message, asking him a few questions, and then thanking him for his help. He wasn’t willing to share anything further and only encouraged her to enjoy herself.

She had continued with her routine until about five thirty when she had started to panic; wondering what to wear and if this were all still a trick (which she quietly confessed to Emma, and the blonde had had to grip her emotions tightly least she jump ahead of schedule and proclaim her love from her knees before Regina in her bedroom. Awkward). Emma had reassured her that Romeo didn’t seem interested in hurting her and her words had managed to convince Regina into going along with the date, but it was probably Emma telling her she could kill Romeo in the woods without anyone knowing if it were a trick. Problem solved, Emma had said, snapping her fingers. Regina had laughed and gone to have a shower, confident again and happy.

Their date had been out in the woods near the same waterfall she had tossed Seth off, which, oops, she didn’t quite think about that. She also had to scare the Merry Men from the area, but that had been easy, a few wild animal sounds, roars and things, and they had fled like cowards. Then she had organised a table and chairs and had strung fairy lights from all of the trees and through the waterfall so that the entire clearing was light with light. The rainbow in the water was lovely as night fell and was a sharp contrast to the white lights in the trees around and above their meal. There were also jars with candles in them hanging at various lengths from the branches and she had made a path through the woods of the same candles in the jars-and had been subsequently cautioned about the significant fire risk that posed. Of course, she had soon charmed her way out of Regina’s ire with a fantastic meal, excellent wine, and enthralling company, if she didn’t say so herself.

At first Regina had been guarded, and rightly so. She was meeting her in the middle of nowhere with no potential witnesses, though she didn’t think that, that was why the brunette was cautious around her. Emma knew she was wary because no one had ever done anything like what she was doing for her, courting her from her heart rather than taking her for her body. She also though she was a bit overwhelmed by it all; by the effort Emma had gone to as well as the apparent depth of her feelings. Emma/Romeo had assured her that her feelings were genuine and they had had a wonderful meal together, discussing the latest scandal in town for a moment before talking about movies, music and other media they enjoyed.

She had made certain to compliment Regina on her outfit, though she had been the one to help her pick it out. She almost wished she had missed all of Regina’s anxious nerves to see her for the first time in what she had picked, but the nerves and sweet smile the brunette gave her when she complimented her made it all worth it.

The brunette was stunning in her final assemble, meekly asking Emma if it were too much as she flicked out her hair in the mirror. Emma had nearly fallen to her knees and vowed eternal devotion and had been speechless for a long moment, jaw gaping and eyes wide. Of course Regina had preened in the mirror and had continued with her make-up, but had glanced back to Emma as she put her mascara on in what Emma had come to call Regina’s-get-me-pregnant-with-a-look look.

Seriously, her ovaries almost exploded on the spot.

She had gone with knee high black boots with less of a heel than her ‘fuck me’ heels, and there were a few inches of skin between the top of the boot and her dress, and Emma ached to explore it very, very thoroughly. Her dress ended mid-thigh with empty black rectangles against a blue bottom and it clung to her legs, up her hips and to her waist where it was cinched with a black belt. The top was loosely tailored, sleeveless, and had a modest ‘v’ dip to her cleavage. It wasn’t overtly sexy, but by god was Emma ready to worship every inch of her and throw her plans for dinner out the window. Regina had gone with a few bangles and some nice earrings, not that Emma noticed, and she almost fell over her feet when she followed the brunette down the stairs.

Regina had paused at the bottom of the stairs and Emma had almost collided into her. The two had hesitated there, with Emma on the bottom stair staring into Regina’s eyes for what felt like eternity. Regina had swallowed (Emma had heard it) and moistened her lips as though to say something, but eventually she had just nodded and wished her a good night. Emma had walked her to the door and then in a moment of weakness, had kissed her quickly on the cheek before darting back, blushing furiously. Regina had really paused then, shifting slightly forward and her eyes had darted all of Emma’s face, settling finally on her eyes. Her lips parted as though she was going to say something, before she stepped back and left. Emma had cursed her slip and hurriedly teleported from the house and into the woods where she had her tea planned.

She got changed and made sure she looked good in the mirror before putting on the necklace she had ‘borrowed’ from Gold. She hadn’t been the one to break in-or at least wasn’t the one that had been discovered- but had found the break-in useful in terms of her being able to use her magic and get away with it. Some of the gifts and things she had done were obviously the deeds of a magic user and there was only one that powerful in town; apart from Regina and Gold. So it threw Regina off the scent, but lately she had been looking at her weirdly, eyes lingering and quiet; thoughtful.

Sometimes the two of them would just spend time together in silence after Henry had gone to bed. Emma scrolled through Tumblr while Regina did paperwork or they would watch documentaries (for Regina) and mind-numbing reality tv (for Emma). One night, after she had delivered the book to her, she had knocked quietly on Regina’s door laden with her blankets and a pillow and some hot chocolate. After that the two had spent every night together, just content in each other’s presence; talking about everything and nothing until they fell asleep. Even when Emma had gone back to work she would crawl back into bed with Regina and curl around her until morning. They didn’t speak of it, an unspoken agreement to keep it to their nights, but they eased together so well and their interactions were softer, lingering.

Emma learnt that Regina was a touchy affectionate; a hand to her back while they moved in the kitchen, a finger trailed across her neck as she walked past, touches to her forearm when she was being particularly annoying, her body close when they brushed past each other, sitting close on the couch when they watched a film with Henry. Most of the time Emma was able to control herself around the brunette, but it was very, very difficult. She ached to touch her back, let her fingers draw inconsequential patterns on her skin, run her fingers though her silky hair, feel her pulse beneath her skin.

Sometimes when they were watching tv late at night Regina would curl up almost-but-not-quite in her arms and their bodies would be pressed together, and she would feel warm all over and never want to move; especially when Regina would rest her head on her shoulder and she would wrap her arms around her, but that was cool, friends cuddled, right? Who was she kidding? Regina had to be blind to miss the way Emma felt about her, but maybe she was co concerned with having a friend for the first time in her life that she ignored the signs that suggested the Mayor and Sheriff were more than friends. No matter, Regina would find out tonight.

She was going to go out for a bit after tea time and then knock on the door with a rose and guitar in hand.

Her stomach rumbled and pulled her from her thoughts and she could hear Regina’s eye roll. She lifted her body up to grin winning at Regina as she walked around her desk and towards her mini-fridge. Emma wasn’t sure what she was more interested in; the way the black skirt hugged her body as she bent over, or the delicious food she was about to deliver. She decided on both. She wasn’t being greedy, was she?

“I love you,” she said sincerely as her mouth watered and Regina presented her with a Tupperware container with some sort of salad and meat in it and, more importantly, another one with what looked like a caramel slice in it.

“Are you talking to the carbs or to me?” Regina questioned dryly as she handed over the food and lowered a root-beer onto the table.

“You, of course,” Emma replied while hungrily opening the container and picking up a fork. It was green, yes, but Emma had learnt that Regina could make even the grossest vegetables taste amazing, and she had brought her a treat so she would eat her salad. She would eat anything Regina served her, not that the brunette needed to know that.

“Yes, well, as I said before…” Regina waited until Emma had glanced up from her salad, fork part way to her mouth. “You are remarkably easy to please.”

“When it comes to food,” Emma waggled her eyebrows playfully and Regina shook her head as she picked non-existent lint off her skirt.

“I have to go out… I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Do you want me to pick take-out on the way home?”

Emma paused her chewing before quickly finishing her mouthful and chasing it down with a sip from her drink.

“I can make something?” She offered, mind moving at a frantic pace. Her plans for tonight did not involve Regina being out in the cold.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out,” Regina lowered her eyes slightly and Emma smiled up at her.

“You could never put me out, Regina. It’ll be fine. I’ll get the Kid to help out.”

Regina winced slightly. “Make sure the fire extinguisher is near-by,” she cautioned as she walked back to her desk and Emma pouted after her.

“I’m not that bad in the kitchen,” she protested as she took another mouthful of the salad. It was amazing! Some sort of chicken mix with fancy lettuce.

“Quite. I’m sure your talents lay in other areas,” Regina offered as she settled back into her work.

“I _am_ good with my hands,” she grinned and felt her cheeks tug even wider when Regina flushed slightly. She lifted one of her hands and wiggled her fingers playfully.

“You should let other people tell you that, Dear.” One of her favourite things about a verbal spar with Regina was how quick the woman was and her snark was always on point.

“They do,” she shot back quickly. “Why? Want to find out?” She paused as she realised their playful teasing had taken a more sexual innuendo laden turn. “I give excellent massages,” she added innocently.

Regina’s lips were curled as she went back to her work and she shook her head fondly. Emma just grinned, and grinned, and grinned.

xxxxxXXXXXxxxxx

 

Sighing Regina closed the car door and clicked the key, hearing the mechanism lock into place as she started her trek towards the house. She was later than she’d thought she would be, especially as she had made an effort to be home before six and it was now twenty to seven. She hoped her family-it felt odd to refer to Henry and Emma as her family, but that was what they were now, and it left a warm feeling in her chest- had eaten if they had prepared their meal on time, she wouldn’t want them to wait for her, even if it was a nice thought.

There were raised voices inside and she hesitated for a brief moment before shaking herself of her thoughts and striding boldly into her own house. Any yelling was technically her business as it was her home, and therefore on her to keep the peace, and she liked the peace, liked it a lot.

“You didn’t mean for this to happen? Are you bloody serious?!” Someone was bellowing inside the house and she felt a prickle of ire at the pirates presence in her home. She quickened her footsteps, no one, especially not the pirate, yelled at her family, not in her house, and not while she was around.

A fainter voice could be heard arguing in protest, but their murmurs were overwhelmed by her own clicking footsteps and the Captian’s reply. She left her purse on the table near the door and quickly followed the noise down the hall to the kitchen.

Something smashed and she felt her lip curl and her magic flood to her fingertips, begging to be released.

“No! I’ll not calm down!” Killian roared and she could hear the pain, and the anger in his tone as his voice cracked with emotion. “I accepted you were the Dark One! I accepted you needed time to adjust to the rest of our lives together! I even accepted you moving in with the bloody Evil Queen!”  


“Don’t.” It was Emma he was arguing with and she felt her heart flutter at the blondes defence, “Call. Her. That.” Her voice was low and dangerous and Regina felt the hair on the back of her neck rise to attention.

“Of course you defend _her_!” He was crying as though he had been shown how to complete a child’s puzzle. “’ll call her Majesty whatever the hell I want to!”

“Hook,” Emma warned and Regina hovered just out of sight, wanting to hear how this would play out, even as she knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping. Emma hadn’t said much on her breakup with Hook, only that it had been over for a while and she hadn’t known how to tell him. Of course when she finally did, she said, he didn’t take it well but she hadn’t elaborated.

“Don’t you ‘Hook’ me! Killian snarled and she could see him waving his namesake about as he combated the emotion pouring in him.

“I thought you just needed time,” he said, suddenly quiet and calm and Regina realised it was an illusion of it, and that he was building up to strike. “I thought you would move in with me on the Jolly Roger and we’d-we’d,” his hook flashing in the kitchen light, “We’d spend our lives together. But no…..” his voice hardened and Regina felt a flash for when the pirate had been a true pirate; taking all, and giving nothing back. He had gone from a captain to a pirate, and had acted fittingly for the title, plundering and murdering through the seas; taking whatever and whoever he wanted, or so his reputation said.

“Instead you leave me for someone else!”

“I didn’t leave you for anyone.” Emma’s words were quiet, firm, reassured and Regina felt a piece of her heart which had started to glow with each moment spent with the Saviour fade.

“Oh really!” Hook scoffed disbelievingly. “So you’re not in love with her then?”

Emma was quiet and Regina’s head slowly rose, that treacherous warmth flare back to life. Her. Hook said ‘her’. What if that Her was her?

“You can’t even admit it to me,” Hook was jeering now. “How are you gonna tell her? Too much of a coward? Afraid she’ll abandon you like everyone else?” He was trying to hurt Emma now, and Regina straightened. Whatever her own feelings on the circumstance, Emma was being hurt and she would protect her, even if she didn’t want or need it.

“That’s pathetic! You’re pathetic. She’ll never want a cowardly, thief like you, who runs at the first sign of commitment. I’m surprised you’ve stuck around this long,” he growled and Regina had had enough. Drawing forth her composure and grace she had used as armour as Queen she strode into the kitchen and paused at the sight.

Emma had clearly been in the middle of cooking something; there were chopping boards and cutlery out, and the oven was lit with warm light and it smelt amazing. A broken bottle of red wine was spilling across her pristine floors and shards of glass gleamed like arrow-heads in a pool of blood. Both Hook and Emma were glaring at each other, rage and betrayal and pain a mix on both of their features, though at Regina’s arrival they both leant away from their threatening body postures and composed their faces.

“I am quite certain that whoever Miss Swan choses to share her heart with will be honoured by the privilege.” They both started at her voice and sudden arrival and shifted to face her; one looking more happy to see her than the other.

Regina kept her gaze fully on the pirate, even as her words were directed at Emma. “Emma is loving, and kind, and gentle. She is brave, selfless to a fault, and caring, and the people she loves should be grateful to have a piece of her heart. She is extraordinary and every moment spent in her presence is a moment spent wisely. You are the unworthy one. I have no doubt that whoever she loves will never be worthy of her but will endeavour to be in their every word and action.”

Hook’s handsome features twisted into a snarl of disgust. “Even if that person’s you?” He spat out, hoping to shock her, and directed his hook to the other side of the bench, on Emma’s left.

What she hadn’t noticed on her swift appraisal of the room were a few candles laid out next to two empty wine glasses above the smashed bottle of wine and a vase of flowers; eleven red roses to be exact, clearly waiting to be set on a table for a romantic candle light dinner. The twelfth rose was on one of the plates, obviously hers, and Regina’s heart did a funny fluttering, even as it was stampeding along. Here was her proof. Regina felt her world tilt on its axis; stop, and then start again, spinning and turning like a child’s spin-top toy. The light in her chest grew and grew and grew; like in those movies where a ray of light shines down from the heavens and casts the dark world into gold.

The kitchen went silent; Hook, waiting for her denial and rejection of Emma; Emma, waiting for the rejection but hoping for the acceptance, and Regina; overwhelmed but clinging to her composure. How does one act when what they have dreamed for so long, ached with it, is finally laid in their grasping hands?

“Even me,” she said quietly with iron behind her tone, channelling the Evil Queen as she stared Hook down. “Now… get out of my house and do not come back.”

Emma’s eyes were wide but in the dark abyss there was a light flaring; hope. Wonder.

Furious but outnumbered and unwilling to challenge the witches Hook snarled and stormed from the house, making sure to drag his hook through her walls and smash the vase at the door before slamming the door. The silence after his abrupt departure was charged, awkward.

Emma swallowed and offered her, her soft, sweet smile. “Hi,” she might have squeaked. Hearing such nervousness from a creature as ancient and malicious of the Dark One was so typically _Emma_ that Regina couldn’t help but sigh and shake her head.

“Hey,” she replied, finishing their ritual and she felt the deja vu of their first meeting rush over her.

“So, um… I made dinner which….” She looked mournfully at the oven. It was steaming and starting to smell burnt. “I guess I burnt… Takeout?” She glanced back at Regina; eyes hopeful and features soft.

Regina’s heart was hammering and she hesitated; hesitated a moment to long and Emma’s shoulders slumped and her head lowered. The light in her eyes went out like the flicking of a light switch. “Right. Okay. It’s cool.”

“No. Emma wait!” Regina’s voice and hand outstretched made the Saviour pause, even as her magic cleaned the kitchen and banished the food and smell.

“Can… can you give me some time? To process? Please?”

Emma’s dark eyes were searching and Regina was still under her gaze, trying to convey how much this was, how she needed to think it through, calm her heart.

Seeing something in her eyes that confirmed things for her, the blonde nodded slowly. “In case you didn’t notice I’d wait forever for you,” she offered quietly. It was almost a vow. Emma was Romeo. It couldn’t be any clearer unless she were to come outright and say it, not that she needed to.

Her heart summersaulted in her chest and Regina swallowed and offered a shaky smile. “Forever is a long time.”

“Not long enough.”

They were both quiet for a moment and tendrils of awkwardness began to creep into the kitchen once again.

“Where’s Henry? Regina asked, reluctant to leave Emma to her thoughts, but needing to think it through herself, and also needing to say or do something to get Emma to believe that _she_ wasn’t running.

“Nick’s having a sleepover,” she shrugged. “I may have suggested it. I wanted-” she cut off abruptly. “I didn’t want- if this went wrong I…” She watched her socked feet pick at the floorboards.

“Didn’t want it to be awkward,” Regina offered, feeling her heart melt at how sincere Emma was being, and also how insecure she must be feeling.

“I had hoped.” Her confession was whispered softly, and she fought the urge to lash out as she did when she was feeling vulnerable. This was Emma. Emma deserved all from her, even her fears.

Emma’s head snapped up and tilted to the side, looking like a curious and eager puppy as she always did, and Regina wondered how she had missed the way Emma looked at her, how she had been so blind to it.

“I had hoped it was you,” she clarified quietly. What could only be described as a dawning moved across Emma’s features, starting with the light in her eyes and breaching to her cheeks and lips and moving through her until it looked like her entire being was smiling.

“Yeah?” It was a breathless question; full of hope, joy, and love.

“Yeah,” Regina was smiling as well but wondering when she had turned into a schoolgirl with a crush. Her heart was still hammering, but it had slowed down now, a steady thumping like a war-drum; strong and reassuring.

They were both silent for a moment, looking at each other and caught on the love in each others eyes.

“Do you-do you still need time?” Emma asked hesitantly.

Regina nodded slowly. Once. She needed to think, it was moving very fast and she wanted to process everything before she made a decision.

“Here.” Emma glided forward, more like herself before she had become the Dark One except looking like she was going out for Halloween as one of those vegetarian vampires. She offered Regina the final rose with a flourish of her wrist, stepping in close but not-close-enough-and-too-close to hand it to her.

“I love you.” Her entire body hummed with the knowledge of it and Regina was smiling with just her eyes as she took the final rose.

She brought it to her nose, resting the petals against her lips and marvelling in the softness. “I’ll see you soon,” she promised and vanished in a plume of purple smoke, making sure to change her clothing to something less formal and warmer. She had a lot to think about.

Many people didn’t know it, but she loved the ocean, had been born near the ocean. Her grandfather’s kingdom had been set next to the ocean and she had learnt to swim before she could walk; riding the waves with her cousins and being pulled along the beach by heavy horses on a wooden cart waxed and polished to allow it to glide over the water. Whenever she was feeling stressed or lonely or needed to think, the ocean was her safe place. It was calming. In and out. Resolute. Certain. She materialised after leaving Emma at the beach front, sitting on one of the wooden seats and gazing out past the boats at the darkening sky.

Rolling the rose between her fingers she synchronised her breathing to the rolling of the waves and thought. She thought until she had come to terms with Emma’s identity as Romeo, to Romeo actually loving her, to Emma loving her! She considered her own feelings and when she may have developed more than the feelings of friendship to her son’s birth mother. She also thought of Robin, and Seth, and Lucy in light of the new information. Then she considered her options and the consequences of them; mostly involving Henry, Snow, Charming, Emma, and herself. Her family. Conclusion reached she lifted her gaze to the dark swirl she guessed was the horizon and called for, “Emma Swan.”

Emma materialised immediately and after smiling at the location took an immediate seat next to her; close enough for her to feel her warmth but not close enough to touch.

“Regina.”

She exhaled sharply, wondering how she had missed the way Emma said her name; all supressed wonder and awe, like she had hung the stars or invented junk food.

“Emma.” She kept her eyes on the inky blackness that was the ocean, occasional tips of white catching the glow of the stars. “Are you going to sing tonight?” She asked eventually, having grown accustomed to it and also enjoying it.

She felt Emma’s smile and soft hum. “I actually had a speech planned. I had to change my original plan as you were out late.” She moved her hands from her lap and rested one between them.

Regina moved her own hand and placed it over Emma’s, entertaining their fingers together. They fit together, pieces of a puzzle. “I’d hate for you to waste all that brainpower on planning.”

Emma exhaled in amusement, her breath misting slightly as night awoke and sucked the warmth from the world. “I was gonna give you the rose when you got home, tell you who I was and all that and then… I dunno. I kinda had it planned but not really. I was gonna speak from the heart.” She lifted her shoulders in shrug.

“Will you?” Regina asked quietly, eyes still on the ocean but her fingers tightened and her tone was a soft plea. Perhaps sensing that Regina needed to hear what she had to say, or needing to get it off her chest Emma squeezed her hand in reassurance and began to talk.

“When Henry first brought me to Storybrooke he brought me to you, and- I guess he is always leading me to you. I found a home here, and not just a place to put down roots, I found a family; my brother, mum and dad, Henry… You.”

Emma turned to look at her now, light of the moon settling onto her sparkly face and lighting the raw love in her eyes. Regina’s breath caught and warmth, like she had tossed back a shot of Whisky, roared through her bloodstream.

“Everything in my life brought me here…brought me you…. I feel like I’ve been looking for you…in everyone I’ve ever met even though I didn’t know who or what I was looking for.”

Emma hesitated and glanced down at their intertwined hands. “I-I feel like we were always meant to be something… but I didn’t think it would be this.” She lifted their hands and pressed Regina’s fingers against her cheek, revelling in their warmth. She straightened her fingers and cupped Regina’s palm against her cheek, forcing the brunette to shift slightly to face her.

She reached out and took Regina’s other hand, careful of the rose. “When I saw the Darkness about to consume you I-” she paused to clear her throat. “I couldn’t let that happen to you, but I didn’t truly know why until I became the Dark One. It showed me what I was too afraid to see… that I loved you, was in love with you.” Her voice was quiet with conviction and Regina was silent, letting Emma’s words soothe the gaping and festering wounds on her heart.

“I love you, Regina.” She paused and let the magnitude of her confession be drowned with the rolling waves, even as the power of it lingered on the chilly air. “And I’m not afraid anymore. I want this. I want you. I want _us_.”

“ _Emma_.” Regina’s reply was a broken whisper; a plea, a confession, a vow.

“I know what arguments you’re gonna say, why we can’t be together, but none of that matters if you love me… if you don’t, we are still best friends. Nothing will change that. I could tell you instead why we belong together; our parental issues, our similar abusive pasts, our courage, bravery, and strength… our damage. Our son.” Emma was speaking quickly now, urgently in a low and series tone. Earnest. Heartfelt. “You get me, Regina. You get me like no one else ever has and I feel like the shit we’ve both been through made us for each other. I want and love all of you; Evil Queen you, baby you, Mayor you-even if I think it’s stupid having to write all those reports.” Regina smiled at this and ducked her head in a nod. “I especially love Mamma-bear you, protective you, and the you that you are on the inside. Just Regina.”

Regina’s cell-phone began to chime, her stock notification for an incoming call and she pulled her palm from Emma’s face to snap her fingers and it went silent

“I think I’d like to be ‘Just Regina’,” she offered with a shy smile and after all of Emma’s heartfelt words, it was all she needed to say.

“You-you want us?”

Regina lifted her hand and stroked her fingers down Emma’s cheek. “Yes. I choose you. Us.”

It seemed as though every smile Emma had ever given erupted over her features, the soulless abyss of her eyes glowing with love.

She leant forward, keeping her eyes locked on dark, dark eyes as they darkened and glowed like embers and hesitated just out of reach. Regina tilted her head slightly, even as her breath fell across her face and mingled together in the cold air.

“You know my name now,” Emma whispered, eyes darting down to red lips which curled into a smile. She absently moistened her lips, darting her eyes over Regina’s face, anticipation swarming in her belly.

“Yes,” Regina nodded and inched further forward, lips almost, almost touching. She wasn’t sure who’s heart was hammering the loudest, hers or Emma’s, but she was certain they were synchronised.

“Can I kiss you?” Their breath’s were dancing together, crystallising in the air.

“Didn’t you say I would forget my own-mhpf.” Her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed softly into the kiss.

Emma’s lips were soft, tentative in their pressure and direction as they finally joined with her own. She smiled gently into the kiss and returned it with a bit more pressure, tilting her head to the side and bumping her nose against Emma’s awkwardly before they both shifted to accommodate her movement. It was remarkably chaste, sweet. It reminded her of her first kiss, not in its craft, for though it was PG, she could sense Emma’s skill and desire beneath it, but in its softness, its uncertainty that faded as they both adjusted to the change in their relationship as easy as breathing.

There wasn’t a rainbow of magic shooting across the town as much as there was an explosion of raw power. It tore through the earth and cracked through the sky, sending the ground to tremors and the sky to light with ribbons of colour like the lights in those cold places. Emma launched back with a gasp and her eyes flew open, irises reflecting the rainbow of the True Love around them as they slowly turned from black into green, like the blooming of a flower after spring. Her hair fell from her severe bun and the embodiment of Darkness fell from her blonde hair like snow as it was returned to its pre-curse state. Regina watched with lips parted in wonder as the sparkly, pale skin shifted and faded, morphing back into Emma’s normal skin tone, and leant back slightly, smiling with her eyes as Emma was led free from the Darkness with Love as her guide.

Green eyes blinked for a moment before shooting up to her own and then she was leaning in again, a silent request. She kept her eyes on Emma’s lips as she got closer, parting her own as they touched and closing her eyes. She wasn’t sure who sighed, maybe it was them both. Suddenly needing more she brought her hand up around to cup Emma’s face, stroking her thumb back and forth as their heart bet in unison and they shifted closer. The wooden railings on the bench was digging into her skin awkwardly through her clothing but she ignored it in favour of pulling Emma impossible closer. The Saviour complied with a hand cupping her nape and guiding her head to where she wanted the kiss to go. Biting gently on Emma’s lower lip in caution she complied, tilted her head and parting her lips further to allow Emma’s tongue to slide into her mouth. Her mouth was wet, warm, and felt like home. Her skin prickled to attention and something stirred in her belly; unfurling and stretching, pressing against her, ready to be freed, wanting to join Emma.

The air around them was heated, their tongues meeting and sliding and retreating like the forgotten ocean as witness beyond them. Emma tasted of the wine she must have been drinking while she waited, a dark red, desire and promise. Emma’s breath curled in her lungs, fulling her with her love. Groaning Emma shifted on the seat, the sound sending bolts of arousal roaring through Regina’s veins and pooling deliciously in her belly and lower. Regina pulled back a moment, and, “ _Fuck_.” Her breathy whisper in response made the blonde moan again and she connected their mouths more forcefully this time, tugging Regina around, guiding her to where she wanted her. Emma’s mouth opened eagerly to her questing tongue and a whimper caught at the back of her throat. Her exhales were sharp on her face, heavy and hot.

Regina didn’t give a thought to how they were kissing in public, and engaging in a make-out session that was far beyond the levels of inappropriate, or how she would never think of this bench the same again. Her entire being was focused on Emma; the feeling of her skin, so soft and warm under her fingertips, and her hair, so silky, as it fell across the back of her hand, blown by the wind, her heart, thrumming beneath her skin, and her magic, oh, her magic! Warm and full of promise, of love, and of desire, joining her own and growing until they were both full of light violet magic. She was fairly certain Emma was wearing her lipstick by now but couldn’t bring herself to care beyond the thrill of satisfaction of the blonde being _hers_.

The muscles in her back, arm, and thighs were starting to strain at holding the unfamiliar position for too long and it was with great reluctance she pulled away from Emma. True to form the blonde’s mouth followed her back, relying on her impressive muscle structure to hover over Regina as she took the opportunity to re-acquaint herself with Regina’s tongue. Regina’s phone began to ring, and Regina was of half a mind to banish the infernal device into the depths of the ocean for daring to disturb her first kiss with Emma.

A swipe of her thumb long the blondes cheek and Emma pulled back reluctantly, taking a moment to bite down slowly on Regina’s bottom lip before pulling back with a soft pop. Her eyes flashed open, pupils blown before she closed her eyes gently and pressed her lips together as though to saviour the moment, imprint it in memory.

“Hi,” she whispered after a moment; radiant with lips swollen and with smudged red lipstick around her mouth, eyes dark with lust and with her hair haloing her in the moonlight. Regina’s phone went quiet again and all she could hear was the ragged sounds of their breathing and the rolling of the ocean.

“Hey,” Regina completed their ritual, giving it a new spoken meaning. I love you. I love you too. Her heart was hammering and her chest was rising and falling, as was Emma’s but they shared the same air.

Emma sighed softly and moved her hand around to trace her lips, collecting their drool and wiping it on her jeans before returning her fingers to stroke over her lips. She wiped her own mouth and chin on her shoulder, eyes locked on Regina’s as though afraid to look away and caught in her orbit.

Her phone started to ring again and with a growl she dug in her pocket for it, her rose falling onto the bench from where it had been trapped between their bodies. Emma made a sound, eyes half-lidded and hungry, and Regina paused and gazed over at her love with a cocky smile and a raised brow. The sound came again and she let her lips curl smugly. Emma shifted closer, draping her arm across the back of the bench and tilting her head to press her lips to her throat. Heavy, hot, open-mouth kisses that made her fumble for her phone, even as it went silent. The angle was awkward, but Emma was persistant.

Torn between answering and continuing with Emma she rationalised she could continue with the blonde in a moment once she had assured herself there was no issue that required her attention, otherwise they would keep ringing. She let her head fall back and Emma took advantage, tracing her nose across the skin of her neck before following the path with her lips as she finally freed her phone from her jeans. A growl rumbled its way free of her chest and Emma racked her teeth across the skin of her throat in response. The desire fled her at seeing the contact ID lighting up the night with three missed calls; one from David and two from Henry.

“It’s Henry!”

The phone rang again, this time the caller picture was blank but had the SPD initials which was concerning as that meant David, who was on duty tonight, had tried to ring her twice, as well as Henry.

The two shared a look and then they were gone, teleporting in a ball of light purple smoke to their son. They emerged in the centre of the diner, fireballs in hand ready to defend their son.

He was sitting at a booth with Nick and an older woman, maybe his sister? And was peering intently at his phone, a slight frown on his face.

He heard them arrive, most of the diner did, the raw magic they used had pulled much of the air with them and they had disrupted space as they materialised. They were in a hurry so didn’t give much thought to how it meant the tables went flying and the diner had an abrupt gust of wind inside.

Regina waved her hand and righted everything, even as the fireball extinguished and she looked around for the danger to her son.

“Kid! You okay?”

“Mum! Em-ma?!” His excitement at seeing them faded slowly and his brow creased and he looked slowly between the two, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Henry, are you okay?” Regina asked and rested her hand on Emma’s arm, the blonde’s fireball instantly fading at her touch.

“Yeah….” Henry’s eyes were on Regina’s hand on Emma’s arm and he lifted his head warily.

“Emma,” Henry said slowly, suspiciously. “You’re you again!” He launched himself from the booth and threw himself at his mother. Emma’s arms came around him and she pulled him close, savouring the smell of his childish hair-wash, deodorant, and the fabric softener that Regina used in her laundry. Henry felt right in her arms and she had missed this, missed the ease in which they could be together. Regina placed a hand at the small of her back and she sighed, feeling her support and love and the love and support that surrounded her as she was in the presence of both her True Loves.

“You broke the curse! Was it Hook?”

Emma’s face contorted into disgust and Regina bristled next to her.

“No, Kid. Your mum helped me,” she cast Regina a glance full of warmth. “Like she promised.”

Henry threw himself at Regina and gave her a hug. “I knew you could do it,” he murmured into her jacket.

“Did you feel the earthquake?” He asked as he pulled away, glancing between them both. “It was like,” he looked at his watch, “five minutes ago. Six.”

The two would deny it, but in the light from the diner their skin flushed.

Emma lifted her head in question and Regina tilted hers in reply. They conversed silently a moment before coming to a decision, nodding simultaneously before turning back to Henry. They had decided that Emma would be the one to tell Henry.

“Yeah…” Emma nodded slowly and wet her lips nervously and swallowed. “About that….”

Henry had taken a step back and was looking between them with dawning understanding, eyes frantic and lighting with hope as she continued.

“It was kinda us…” She reached back as Regina came forward, not taking her hand but letting the tips of their fingers brush and she drew comfort from the brunettes presence.

“You broke the curse,” he said slowly, putting two and two together. His mums were smiling, bodies close like lovers and a glow to them that couldn’t be contained to their eyes and hearts alone, though they were trying valiantly.

They nodded and Regina ran her fingertips absently along Emma’s. Regina was smiling, a smile he had only ever seen directed at him in its full capacity, and more recently at Emma, on low beam. It was the look she gave him that said she loved him, so, so much and it felt like her love was trying to break through her skin and envelope him. She was looking at Emma like that.

“You broke the curse….” Then his eyes lit up. “True Loves Kiss!” He cried out, face alit with childish joy and his voice cracked, reminding them that he was growing and wasn’t their little boy anymore.

“Really?!” He looked between the two hurriedly, seeking conformation even as the diner went deadly still.

“Yeah, Kid!” Emma shifted to smile at Regina and then beamed back at Henry.

He threw himself at his mothers again as Regina’s phone began to ring. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!” He pulled them both as close as he could, trying to wrap his teenage limbs around them, forcing all of the love he had for them into the embrace. Emma gave him a hug and Regina lifted her cell to her ear as she brushed some hair back from Henry’s face.

“I love you guys!” Henry’s voice was muffled in the hug.

“Snow. What?! When? Where is he- yes I know. We’ll discuss it later…. No, we are at Granny’s. Let him try. Okay, we’ll come right away.” Emma had shifted out of the embrace slightly, though still had Henry in her arms and was looking at Regina worriedly.

“What-?”

She didn’t have to finish her question for Regina to answer, tucking her phone back into her jeans.

“Hook attacked Whale tonight, he and Smee,” she said quickly. “They also think he attacked Jefferson. When David and Tod tried to arrest him he attack them with magic. They’re okay,” she said hurriedly seeing Emma’s features darken. “They subdued him but he escaped with the, ah, earthquake…”

Regina’s cheeks warmed but she quickly gained her composure and turned to Henry. “You stay here, okay? Until we let you know it’s safe. Promise me, Henry.”

Their son nodded quickly, agreeing to their terms and she lifted her dark, serious gaze across the diner to Granny and Ruby.

“Widow Lucas, if Hook comes here call me immediately. He has some sort of magic, so be careful.”

Granny nodded sharply and ducked down behind the counter and placed a great big crossbow on the counter. “No one causes trouble in my restaurant.”

Regina nodded and shared another look with Emma.

“Let’s go.” Emma’s eyes were glinting and she would have thought she were still Dark if she hadn’t felt the magic and seen the burst of colour of True Loves Kiss sweep the land. She just figured Emma was still pissed off with what Hook had said and done while she was Dark and wanted to even the score a little.

The two linked fingers and vanished, re-appearing in the Police Department where David was deep in discussion with Tod. Tod was sitting on one of the chairs, a bloodied towel to the back of his head. The two glanced up and relief swept their features as they saw who it was, then David started.

He glanced between the two and then grinned broadly and Regina was reminded of why he was named Charming. “True Loves Kiss! You broke the curse! That caused the earthquake!”

He made to move to embrace them as they reluctantly let their hands go and Regina stepped away, a warning expression on her face.

“Not now, David. Where is Hook and Smee-oh.” In one of the cells the loyal first-mate was sitting up staring at them all mutinously. There was a bruise under one of his eyes and blood smeared down his chin, evidence of a fight. Of the two cells only one of them was enchanted to prevent magical use, obviously the one that was empty and had scratches on the padlock like something sharp and made of metal had been picking at it.

“Dad. Where’s Killian?” Emma was serious but even the situation couldn’t conceal her joy of her father’s clear acceptance of their Love.

David shook his head, still smiling. “We don’t know. After we arrested them and threw them in the cell I was out back while Tod was doing the incident report. The burst of True Love,” he grinned at them both and Regina rolled her eyes at him. He didn’t seem affected by her glare, he was used to it as they had been family for a long while, and learning your former enemy loved your daughter enough to share True Loves Kiss, was enough to solidify her place in their hearts and family. “Must have made the magic on the cell fade and he managed to get out. He hit Tod over the head as he left.”

“Mr. Smee,” Regina strode imperiously towards the bars, delighting in how the pirate cowered slightly under the force of her presence and gaze directed at him. “Do you know where your Captain has gone?”

To his credit the pirate tried valiantly to be brave under the force of the Queen, but he was no match for Regina and cowed under her bearing. “N-no, he muttered, avoiding her eyes in fear or respect. “And-and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell yer!”

Regina let some of the Evil slip into the Queen. “Yes,” she said certainly. “You would.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Emma came up behind her and glared into the cell. “Make this easy on yourself, tell us what you know. He hasn’t been a good captain to you, and you know it.”

“I would hate to magic you,” Regina drawled, summoning a baby fireball to toss up and down in her palm like a tennis ball.

“Regina,” Emma shot her a reproachful look and the brunette shrug innocently. “Look, Smee. You can be more than a first-mate here, you don’t have to obey Hook. Look where he left you.”

Smee met her eyes for a moment before looking around the cell he was in. “I don’t know where he is,” he said quietly, sighing in resignation. “But he’s been drinking a lot lately, and that’s saying something. He came back to the ship weeks ago, raving how Emma had left him and cursing and swearing. He went out then, I don’t know where, but when he came back he was…happier… he had something with him some sort of magic. I think he stole it from the fairies, or maybe from the Crocodile’s shop. After you agreed to meet with him a few days ago he came back livid.” The pirate shivered as though thinking about it would turn the captains ire on him. “He was screaming that the blonde whore left him for that bitch and how he would get his revenge on them both.” Smee looked apologetic as he repeated what he had been told. “I’m not sure how, but he went after the Hatter and then made me go with him after the doctor tonight.”

“If he has magic, he’ll be easy enough to track,” Regina said as she closed her palm and extinguished the fireball. “I’ll need to get a few things from my vault.”

“I’m coming with you,” Emma said, turning her gaze on Regina. The Mayor nodded, unwilling to argue, or agreeing that that was best.

“David, go to Snow and Neal. Henry is safe at the diner for the moment. We’ll handle hook.” Regina looked over at the officer. “With your permission I will heal you, but you should go and get checked up. Head wounds are tricky.”

Tod nodded. “So long as you can stop this bloody headache.” Regina waved her hand over at him and he sighed in relief, pulling the towel from his bloody head. With an agreed action plan they split up; Tod to the hospital where he would also check in on Whale and Jefferson; David, to the Loft where he would make sure his wife and son were safe; and Emma and Regina, to hunt the pirate down.

The two witches were moving swiftly down the steps when Regina paused, head cocked to the side as though she were listening for something and Emma went still.

“Home,” they said as they shared a look, both feeling their magical wards flaring in warning.

They teleported to Mifflin and then paused in shock. 108 Mifflin was in flame and a figure stood mockingly on the sidewalk tossing fireballs at the house. The magic was sparkly, the path the fireballs had taken lit with glowing blue light and sparks hovering in the air like glitter.

“Killian,” Emma snarled and immediately moved to engage him while Regina turned her attention to her burning house. A wave of her hand and the fire snuffed out, then another pass over the image banished the blackened sideboards and charred roof. A twist of her wrist and purple flooded the entire mansion, sinking into the wood and foundations of the house and then it vanished, leaving the home as pristine as it was before Hook had gotten there. In the distance she could hear the faint sounds of sirens and turned her attention on her Love and her ex.

It had been almost comical, how quickly the legendary and infamous pirate Captain had fallen to a furious Saviour, and he was clutching his treasure as Emma’s knee forced him into the sidewalk.

“Ow, ow, Swan,” he groaned into the concrete. “The jewels.”

“Fuck you, Hook.” Emma was furious as she summoned a pair of restraints. “Give me your hand,” she commanded as she wrenched around his Hook and placed the restraint over his for-arm.

“Nooo,” Hook groaned, still holding his goods with his one good hand.

Emma lifted her weight off him a moment to grab his arm and then forced him back into the pavement. She bound this forearm with the restraint and tied them together, removing the hook and tucking it into her belt.

“You’re under arrest, Asshole.”

“I’d hoped you would be inside,” he grumbled as she hauled him to his feet and had to use her body to prop him upright. “You an’ your dyke bitch.” He had been drinking, a lot by the smell and look of him. His eyes were also sparking a blue glitter like the magic in the air around them.

“Fairy Dust,” Regina said as she came up to him, ignoring the neighbours who were watching the situation with morbid fascination. “And the Elixir of Kervelian? Was the bottle black, but looking like it held the stars?” This was directed at Hook and he groaned as his eyes rolled into his skull and he slumped forward in Emma’s grasp.

Regina sighed and flicked her fingers, transporting him to the cell in the station where he would hopefully sleep his drunkenness away.

Emma was staring at the house and then stormed for it.

“Emma!” Regina looked after her curiously. “Wait!” Guessing there was some important reason for the Saviours bolting to the house she cast a glance at the citizens and then followed her True Love inside.

“Emma?” She hesitated inside and glanced around, straining with her ears to hear a sound of where the blonde might be.

A few moments later the blonde thumped her way down the stairs, a familiar book in her hand. ‘When word fails let the heart sing.’

“I needed to make sure it was okay,” she explained as Regina met her at the bottom of the stairs. “It’s my love letter to you….I don’t know what I’d do if it was destroyed.”

“You’d love me anyway, as I love you,” Regina said gently, reaching out to stroke her fingers across Emma’s cheek.

Emma smiled softly, eyes glowing with love as she handed the book to her. “There’s another page.”

Regina accepted the book and flicked through the pages to the end and inhaled in awe.

“I love you.” Regina glanced up from the book and smiled at her True Love.

“I love you, too,” Emma smiled and leant in close, kissing her gently, chastely. “Always and forever.”

A wave of her hand and the door slammed shut, the lock clicking into place as the book fell to the floor. “Will you let me show you how much?”

“I still know my name, Emma,” Regina responded and pulled her closer, sighing into the kiss.

“Challenge accepted,” Emma grinned and lifted the mayor and carried her swiftly up the stairs, exploring her skin with her mouth.

The Saviour’s confession of love remained lonely in the foyer, the final page open and showing the ending where there was normally the words, ‘…and they lived happily ever after. The End.’ It was a different ending, but no less important or telling. In Emma’s writing there was her final confession. ‘ _My words failed so I let my heart sing, eternally yours, love Emma_.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's the end of that :D Thank you all for coming on this journey with me. Thank you for the reviews, kudos and reads. I may not always reply to them but they do make my day. Keep an eye out for my other fics, I have a mammoth one in the works (the one I procrastinated this for) and other bits and pieces. If you aren't familiar with any of the songs used, do check them out, some of them are amazing. As always, thank you for the reviews and kudos. It has been a pleasure. See you around, Rykeral.


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